Shelbyville, IN – Thirty days into their historic strike for union recognition, the Horseshoe Indianapolis table games dealers and dual rate dealers marked the milestone the way striking workers always have: together, in solidarity, and in full public view.

At noon on November 15, striking workers and their supporters gathered for “Labor Day in November,” a large cookout held directly across from the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino. Despite being one month into a bitter showdown with casino giant Caesars Entertainment, morale on the line was high and the sense of momentum unmistakable.

More than 100 Teamsters from other shops joined the celebration, alongside members of the UAW, USW, AFSCME, AFT, and other unions from across central Indiana. Indiana State Senator Andrea Hunley and Indianapolis City-County Commissioner Jesse Brown also attended, walking the lines and speaking directly with the dealers and dual rates who have held out for a month in the face of weather, corporate pressure and coordinated strike-breaking by the company and the city of Shelbyville.

A giant Teamsters Local 135 tractor-trailer drove up and down North Michigan Road, blaring its horn in support of the striking workers. At one point, Shelbyville police – who evicted the striking workers from their picket lines on day 20 by force and have effectively operated as Caesars' private security force – pulled the truck over, threatening to ticket the Teamster driver for supposedly “violating a noise ordinance.”

After lunch, the crowd surged back onto the picket lines, now re-established in the grassy public medians along North Michigan Road and CR-200 W, where striking workers stand on public right-of-way and easement. With fresh banners and high spirits, strikers marched in formation, chanting, “Hey Caesars, you can’t hide, we can see your greedy side!”

Dustin Roach, president of Teamsters Local 135, led the crowd in a chant, “Who’s got the power? We got the power! What kind of power? Teamster power!”

Strikers and their supporters leafleted customers as they entered the casino, explaining the strike and urging them not to cross. Many drivers honked, waved, or turned around—another sign of the broad community support the strike has gained.

A militant month

The 30-day mark follows a week of high energy on the line. One night saw picket-line karaoke, drawing dozens of strikers to sing and laugh together despite the cold. On another, two local bands, Work Friends and Boozehounds Bluegrass, held a solidarity concert for the striking dealers and dual rates. Work Friends delivered a set of union classics like Union Maid, and even a Horseshoe-strike version of Which Side Are You On? – featuring the lines:

They say in Shelby County,

There are no neutrals there,

You’ll either stand with Caesars’ greed

Or fight for what is fair.

Later that night, the entire swing shift sang Solidarity Forever together in full view of the casino.

Reviving the recognition strike

The strike began on October 17, when day-shift dealers set phone alarms for noon, closed their lids, secured their tables, raised their hands, and walked off in unison – shutting down table games and launching a 24-hour picket that has held firm ever since.

The walkout followed an NLRB election that was postponed indefinitely because of the government shutdown. Caesars refused to accept a union proposal to hold the scheduled election through a neutral third-party election supervisor, despite both the union and company having previously agreed to all terms of the election.

In response, the workers chose a route rarely seen in the modern U.S. labor movement, a recognition strike – a tactic common before the 1935 NLRA but almost unheard-of today.

Their determination has only grown stronger. The strike has weathered torrential storms, freezing nights, unexpected snow, strike breaking attempts by the city of Shelbyville's police and the company, and more. Through it all, the dealers and dual rates remain disciplined, united, and unwavering.

NLRB reopens and moves toward an election

The federal government shutdown ended on the night of November 12, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history at 43 days. The NLRB reopened the following day and is now moving to schedule an expedited election for the Horseshoe dealers and dual rates.

Labor Board policy has been to expedite elections when a strike is taking place. With a historically large backlog of elections, hearings and cases stemming from the shutdown, the priority that the Horseshoe election is getting from the NLRB speaks to the effectiveness of the dealers' and dual rates' strike for recognition.

Workers say that whatever date is chosen, they are ready to win their strike and begin bargaining their first contract.

“One day longer, one day stronger”

If Caesars hoped the cold, the storms, or the city’s interference would break the strike, Saturday made clear just how wrong they were. The Day 30 turnout demonstrated growing support from other workers and unions, as well as community members and elected officials.

In the last week, dealers and dual rates began filling out bargaining surveys on the picket line. They are eager to begin the collective bargaining process immediately to address their many issues, including wages, health insurance, PTO and unjust discipline.

As the crowd marched down North Michigan Road after the cookout, one chant echoed louder than any other: “One day longer!” “One day stronger!”

And after 30 days on the line, the Horseshoe dealers and dual rates mean every word.

#ShelbyvilleIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #Strike #IBT135 #Feature

Shelbyville, IN — The historic strike at the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino has taken a dramatic and scandalous turn.

Since October 17, table games dealers and dual rates—workers who deal cards part of the week and serve as floor leads the rest—have led a militant strike demanding that Caesars Entertainment recognize their union with Teamsters Local 135 and bargain over wages, benefits and working conditions.

Caesars, which earned $9.5 billion in revenue in 2024 and reported $336 million from Horseshoe Indianapolis alone, has waged a sweeping anti-union campaign since September. Now the city of Shelbyville has become an active participant on the side of big business.

For 20 days, workers lawfully picketed on the public easements and right-of-way outside the casino’s three entrances on North Michigan Road.

Everything changed on November 5, when Shelbyville police, standing shoulder to shoulder with casino security and management, evicted strikers by force and threatened trespass and arrest. Officers claimed the sidewalks, easement, and roadside were all “private property.” Yet North Michigan Road is a historic public road connecting county roads, lined with homes and farms, and carrying public easements by definition.

How could police justify this sudden reversal?

Because the mayor’s office struck a corrupt bargain with Caesars the day before.

A quiet morning meeting, a major strike-breaking scheme

On November 4, Mayor Scott Furgeson’s administration handed Caesars exactly what it wanted.

That morning, the Shelbyville Board of Public Works and Safety held a brief meeting with only two members present – both appointed by the mayor. There was no public debate, no explanation, and no acknowledgment of the citywide controversy surrounding the strike, despite continuous police presence at the picket line.

In minutes, the board approved a legal agreement with Caesars’ shell company, Centaur Acquisition LLC, redefining ownership of the land in front of the casino.

The city used a long-ignored paperwork technicality to redraw the public right-of-way into the narrowest possible shape, directly aiding Caesars’ efforts to break the strike.

The “Confirmation of Implied Dedication of Roadway Easement” declared that the public only owns the roadway “from curb to curb.” Everything outside the curb, including the entire grassy shoulder and roadside where strikers stood, was declared Caesars’ private property.

The board voted 2-0 to adopt this unusually restrictive dedication. They did not request shoulder access, pedestrian easements, or the traditional centerline-based right-of-way used throughout Indiana.

City Attorney Jennifer Meltzer admitted in the meeting minutes that the original easement from the 2008–09 road realignment was never recorded. Instead of correcting that omission in line with standard Indiana practice, she framed the new dedication as “preventing issues 30 to 50 years down the line.” She made no mention of the immediate issue unfolding outside Horseshoe—where the strike was entering its fourth week.

The timing speaks for itself.

Less than 24 hours later, police move in

On November 5, armed with the new agreement, Shelbyville police and Horseshoe management moved to expel workers from the roadside. Officers tore down tents and canopies set up to withstand freezing nights and threatened arrests for standing where strikers had legally stood for three weeks.

Only when officers sought trespass warrants did a judge refuse to sign them, noting the city could not prove the workers were not on public easement.

The message from city hall was unmistakable: Shelbyville was now enforcing Caesars’ strike-breaking strategy. In doing so, Mayor Furgeson has revealed himself as an enemy of the very working families he is supposed to serve.

Scandal in Shelbyville

Caesars is a multi-billion-dollar corporation desperate to stop its workers from forming a union. The strike has severely damaged operations and profits. Instead of remaining neutral, Mayor Scott Furgeson’s administration intervened on the company’s behalf, using government power to eliminate public space, restrict free speech and undermine federally protected labor rights.

The deal was rushed through quietly, with no public comment and no transparency. It wasn’t “administrative clean-up.” It was a political favor to a corporation during an active strike.

The strike unbroken

On the night of November 5, more than 100 striking workers and supporters flooded the Shelbyville city council meeting to condemn the city for siding with Caesars. The next day, many dealers wrote letters to Mayor Furgeson and called his office directly. Strike captains are preparing further escalation to force the city to abandon its support for Caesars’ union-busting tactics.

Despite the city’s maneuver, the Horseshoe strike remains unbroken. Strikers have regrouped across the street on a confirmed public lot, continuing 24/7 picketing under bitter conditions.

Disciplined, determined and militant, the dealers and dual rates have made one thing clear: They will not stop until their union is recognized.

#ShelbyvilleIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #IBT135 #Strike #Feature

Shelbyville, IN – At noon on October 17, the movement to unionize Horseshoe Indianapolis erupted into open action as the table games dealers and dual rate dealers walked off the job and launched a strike for union recognition with Teamsters Local 135. “Dual rates” split their workweek as dealers and floor leads.

Hundreds of people packed the strike kickoff outside the casino – including a strong majority of the more than 200 dealers and dual rates – turning the Horseshoe entrance into a sea of picket signs, chants and Teamster unity. Many carried signs reading “Horseshoe Teamsters hold all the cards” and “Horseshoe Teamsters on strike.”

The strike began with a dramatic show of worker power on the casino floor. Because casinos have no clocks, day-shift dealers set alarms on their phones to hit exactly noon. When the alarms sounded, dealers closed their lids, secured their tables, and announced that they were on strike before marching off the casino floor together and pouring out the front entrance. They were joined by dual rates and other supporters in a strike procession that stretched across the property as they joined the picket lines.

From the outset, the strike took on a powerful and militant character. Workers established 24-hour picket lines at every entrance of the casino, vowing to shut down business as usual until Horseshoe recognizes their union.

The chants were deafening. “What do we want? Union! When do we want it? Now!” and “If we don’t get it – shut it down!” echoed across the property while cars honked in support.

Workers handed out fliers to customers calling for a boycott of the casino until management agrees to recognize their union and negotiate a fair contract. Management responded by calling in lines of casino security and Shelbyville police, who positioned themselves alongside management in an attempt to intimidate workers. It didn’t work.

Despite police threats, workers held the line, raised canopies, patrolled crosswalks, and kept pickets moving. Eventually the picket lines were established and the police presence pulled back.

The strike comes after weeks of escalating tension at Horseshoe. A majority of dealers and dual rates began organizing earlier this year and demanded union recognition on September 4. Instead of respecting workers’ choice, Horseshoe management launched a union-busting campaign led by the notorious anti-union law firm Littler Mendelson. Workers were forced into mandatory anti-union meetings, threatened, surveilled and fed misinformation. Teamsters Local 135 filed multiple unfair labor practice charges in response.

After management refused voluntary recognition, workers filed for an NLRB election. The vote was scheduled for October 17 – but on October 1, the federal government shutdown forced the NLRB to postpone all elections indefinitely. To keep the vote on schedule, Teamsters Local 135 proposed using a neutral third-party election supervisor under the same rules already agreed to by both sides. Horseshoe management ignored the proposal and used the shutdown to stall the process even further.

With no election in sight and management refusing to respect workers’ rights, the dealers and dual rates voted 92% on October 10 to authorize a strike for recognition. One week later, they delivered on that promise.

Now, the strike at Horseshoe Indianapolis is one of the most significant private-sector labor battles in Indiana in years, and one of the only recognition strikes in recent Teamster history.

The message from the strike line is loud and clear: the workers who run Horseshoe are standing united, and they aren’t backing down. Striking Horseshoe Teamsters are asking players and customers of the casino to stand with them and boycott Horseshoe Indianapolis until management recognizes the union.

The picket line is open to public support out front of the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino on 4300 N Michigan Road, Shelbyville, Indiana.

#ShelbyvilleIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #IBT135 #Strike #Feature

Shelbyville, IN – Table games dealers and dual rates at the Horseshoe Indianapolis casino have authorized a strike for union recognition.

At an October 14 press conference, Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach announced that 92% of dealers and dual rates voted yes to authorize a strike. The vote, held on October 10 directly across from the casino, saw participation by a strong majority of both groups.

Roach was joined by more than 50 dealers and dual rates carrying “Teamster power” signs and a banner reading “Respect is a Teamster contract.” After addressing the press, the group chanted, “Tick tock, you’re on the clock,” signaling the countdown to a potential work stoppage if management refuses to recognize the union.

Background

Horseshoe Indianapolis is owned by Caesars Entertainment and ranks as the company’s second-most profitable property outside of Las Vegas, earning $336 million last year.

Most workers at Horseshoe are already covered by a union contract bargained by three unions that make up the Central Indiana Gaming Council. Teamsters Local 135 represents all slot attendants and warehouse workers at the casino.

This year, the largest remaining group of nonunion casino workers – nearly 200 table games dealers and 30–40 “dual rates,” who split their workweek as dealers and floor leads, launched an organizing campaign with Teamsters Local 135. They demanded union recognition on September 4.

Management refused to recognize the union voluntarily, leading Local 135 to file for an election through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The union proposed a vote three weeks from filing; management pushed for October 17 instead. To avoid further delay, the union agreed.

Horseshoe management also tried to divide the workforce by claiming that dual rates were supervisors and ineligible to join the union. The union rejected that tactic and successfully secured their eligibility to vote “subject to challenge.”

Corporate union-busting

According to the union, Horseshoe management launched an aggressive anti-union campaign after workers demanded recognition. Managers held small-group and one-on-one meetings, threatened pro-union employees, and flooded casino TVs with anti-union propaganda. Teamsters Local 135 has filed multiple unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB.

At the center of this campaign is Littler Mendelson, a high-priced anti-union law firm known for helping corporations block organizing drives.

Dealers and dual rates say, “Enough is enough”

Dealer Ericka Hacker said working conditions have worsened even as Horseshoe’s profits have soared.

“Over the last two or three years, things have changed—and not for the better,” Hacker said. “Corporate has become increasingly focused on profits over people. Dealers who helped build this department since it launched in 2020 are now being rewarded with insulting 3% raises—just 11 cents an hour—and that’s only if you qualify.”

She added that management has “taken away our Christmas bonuses,” forced workers to work through “pre-approved vacations, floods and gas leaks,” and changed short-term disability benefits without notice.

“Instead of listening to our concerns, we’re told we’re replaceable,” Hacker said. “We’re tired—tired of being undervalued, tired of being ignored, tired of corporate pocketing record profits while the workers who keep this place running get the short end of the stick. That’s why my coworkers and I are coming together to form a union and team up with Teamsters Local 135 to give us a voice.”

Government shutdown

On October 1, Congress failed to pass a spending bill, triggering a federal government shutdown that halted operations at the NLRB. The agency announced that all scheduled elections and hearings were “postponed indefinitely.”

“Our union election was scheduled for October 17 but was delayed due to the shutdown,” said Zachary Holbrook, a dual rate at Horseshoe. “In good faith, we proposed moving forward with a neutral third party to oversee the election. But management chose to ignore that request and instead used the delay to spread fear and misinformation.”

Horseshoe management has ignored Local 135’s proposal, which would have protected workers’ right to vote in their scheduled election.

Strike authorization

With no timeline for a government reopening—or for rescheduling the NLRB election—the organizing committee held a strike authorization vote on October 10.

If the company continues to ignore the workers’ demand for recognition, Local 135 says a strike could begin as early as this week.

Roach made it clear that the union is prepared to stand its ground.

“Let me be clear: if Horseshoe casino thinks they can steal, intimidate or silence these workers, they’re dead wrong,” Roach said. “Local 135 will stand shoulder to shoulder with these dealers and dual rates until their voices are heard, their rights are respected, and their union is recognized. The time for excuses is over. It’s time for justice.”

#ShelbyvilleIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #IBT135 #Feature

Indianapolis, IN — On October 9, striking Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company marked the eighth day of their unfair labor practice strike with a defiant rally outside the company’s Indianapolis facility.

Workers, fellow union members and community supporters filled the picket line with chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Brulin’s greed has got to go!” and “Hey Nelly, hear our call – stop breaking federal law!” The latter was directed at Brulin’s head of human resources.

“I don’t know when this is going to end,” said Mark Caldwell, a Brulin Teamster who addressed the crowd. “All I know is that if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”

Brulin is a chemical manufacturer responsible for cleaning products used in most Kroger grocery stores in the area. During the pandemic, they saw massive profits as their workers labored to meet increased demand. But even as tens of millions of dollars in revenue flowed in, the workers did not have a raise in four years.

Teamsters Local 135 called an unfair labor practice strike at Brulin after the company broke the law at the bargaining table. Management put forward insulting counterproposals to the union’s demand for substantial raises, calling it their “last, best and final offer.” Further illegal conduct demonstrated their refusal to bargain in good faith, which led Local 135 to file an unfair labor practice, or ULP, with the National Labor Relations Board. Brulin Teamsters then voted unanimously to authorize a strike.

Despite management’s efforts to bring in replacement workers, the 12 Brulin Teamsters remain united and determined to win a fair contract. Not a single member has crossed the picket line. Everyone spends six to eight hours picketing the company’s three entrances, Monday through Saturday. Brulin is not open on Sundays.

“Brulin broke federal labor law,” said Teamsters Local 135 President Dustin Roach. “These workers are out on an unfair labor practice strike because the company refused to bargain in good faith. This could be over today if Brulin would just come back to the table and respect its workers.”

The rally drew strong community and political support, with Indiana State Representative Mitch Gore and Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown joining the line to stand with workers. Both gave fiery speeches denouncing Brulin’s refusal to bargain in good faith and praising the courage of the striking workers.

Brulin workers continue to hold the line at 2920 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue, calling for fair pay, respect and an end to the company’s illegal conduct at the bargaining table.

Teamsters Local 135 invites supporters in other unions and the community to show their support on the picket line, Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.

#IndianapolisIN #IN #Labor #Teamsters #Strike #IBT135

Indianapolis, IN — Teamsters at Brulin Holding Company went out on strike in the early morning hours of October 1. The strike was called by Teamsters Local 135 in response to unfair labor practices committed by Brulin management during contract negotiations, which have dragged on for months.

With picket lines at all three company entrances, workers chanted, “What do we want? Fair contract! When do we want it? Now!” and “If we don’t get it, shut it down!” They also put up a giant Scabby the Rat inflatable at the front entrance on Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue.

Richard Dean, a manufacturer at Brulin for two years, described the reasons for the strike, “Instead of wanting to work with their employees, they’re only about their business. Brulin is choosing their own profits over making their employees’ lives easier.”

According to Teamsters Local 135, the company has refused to bargain in good faith, prompting the union to file an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Speaking on the company’s tactics, Dean continued, “How is that your last and best offer when it’s the first offer you’ve made? It makes me see they’re more corporate-oriented than caring about our families, which is what they say.”

Workers at Brulin have gone without a contractual pay increase for three years. The company, which manufactures cleaning chemicals and supplies, saw enormous profits during and after the pandemic – profits made possible only by the workers’ labor.

“They think we’re overpaid,” said Doug Johnson, who has worked in shipping and receiving at Brulin for almost 13 years. Johnson, who sits on the union’s bargaining committee, continued, “I think they ain’t loyal to their senior workers, and that’s what gets me. You’ve got people who have been here 16 or 17 years, and they’re always kicked to the back burner – when we apply for another position or even during layoffs. That ain’t the way you do people when they serve you for however many years. That’s not cool. You’ve got to respect your seniors.”

Ambulatory picketing at the gates in the early morning caused a line of cars to back up as striking Teamsters chanted, “What do we want? Fair contract! When do we want it? Now!”

Dustin Roach, president of Teamsters Local 135, stated, “Brulin thinks they can get away with starving out their workers for three years, but our members aren’t backing down. They are united, they are strong, and they will not accept anything less than the fair pay and respect they’ve earned. Brulin has bargained in bad faith, and that’s why Local 135 has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB. The time for games is over – it’s time for Brulin to do right by its workers.”

The strike deadline was set for September 30 at 11:59 p.m. After last-minute preparations that day, with Roach and Business Agent Jesse Mikesell meeting members at the facility, the union warned that Brulin’s refusal to change course left workers with no choice but to strike.

Shortly after the strike began, Indianapolis City-County Councilman Jesse Brown arrived to walk the picket line with Brulin Teamsters. Bringing coffee and snacks, he joined in the chants and ambulatory picketing of Brulin’s south entrance.

The union has called on the broader labor movement and community allies to join the workers on the picket line outside Brulin’s Indianapolis location at 2920 Dr. Andrew J. Brown Avenue.

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Indianapolis, IN – More than 60 members of Teamsters Local 135 rallied outside the UPS facility in Plainfield on Tuesday, August 19, as company UPS CEO Carol Tomé visited the site. The action put the company’s top executive face-to-face with UPS workers’ anger over rampant contract violations, illegal buyout schemes, and building closures that threaten job security and working conditions.

“Local 135 has a simple message for Carol Tomé,” said Dustin Roach, president of Teamsters Local 135. “We're done tolerating corporate games and illegal practices.”

The rally took place outside the UPS Plainfield hub, the largest in the Indianapolis metro area. Teamsters quickly raised a giant “greedy pig” inflatable, said to represent Tomé’s tenure as CEO, and carried signs reading “No way Tomé” and “UPS lies.”

Local 135 organized the rally in response to UPS’s pattern of ignoring the national contract, including violations of the 9.5-hour work protections for package drivers, excessive overtime, building closures and layoffs, heat safety violations and more. Members also singled out the company’s attempt to push an illegal buyout scheme as a direct attack on workers’ rights and livelihoods.

“UPS cannot claim to be a world-class company while engaging in blatant disregard for the contract it signed with its workers,” said Roach. “Our members deliver for this company every single day, and we will not stand by while management tears down the standards we've fought to secure.”

For several hours, workers gathered out front chanting, “Who are we? Teamsters!” and “Teamsters make the business run, Carol Tomé contributes none!” In addition to the main demonstration, smaller groups of workers with signs posted themselves at two other entrances to the facility, determined to confront the CEO wherever she might try to enter.

Shortly after noon, a black Cadillac Escalade carrying Tomé was spotted driving past the building’s entrances. Teamsters at the main rally site saw her filming the demonstration, greedy pig inflatable and all, with her phone as the SUV passed without entering. Rallygoers cheered, raised their fists and chanted, “Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power! What kind of power? Union power!”

About an hour later, Teamsters near the truck entrance gate reported the vehicle with Tomé finally entering the facility.

Her visit was brief. Teamsters at a little-used back gate reported her Escalade leaving the premises about 30 minutes later. Once again, she was confronted by workers chanting and carrying signs in protest.

The demonstration underscored both Local 135’s commitment to enforcing the contract and the larger fight by UPS Teamsters across the country to hold the company accountable. Workers at the rally emphasized that their stand in Plainfield is part of a national struggle to defend the contract gains secured in the historic 2023 Teamsters-UPS agreement.

“If UPS wants to move forward, they need to start respecting the contract and respecting the people who built this company into what it is today,” said Roach.

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