The latest is at Post Tension of Nevada, a Henderson subcontractor that lays cable as part of the foundation for homes. Last week, 18 of 24 Post Tension employees were picketing outside the office.

The company did not return two phone calls, but Local 702 said that management discharged workers on Aug. 8 when they expressed interest in organizing.

"We went in there as a group to let the company know we're on an organizing campaign and asked them to voluntarily recognize Laborers 702," said George Vaughn, business manager and secretary-treasurer. At that time the employer turned around and told workers to get off their property, Vaughn said.

Among the Laborers' complaints is that the company gives its workers piecemeal pay rather than hourly pay. It results in uneven paychecks that work out to low hourly wages. Paycheck stubs acquired by the local showed between $200 and $400 for a full week's worth of work.

"You're looking at a whole industry dominated by non-union contractors that wants to exploit workers because these workers speak very little English," Vaughn said.

The picketing workers are all Spanish-speaking immigrants, who told Vaughn they are working legally, although the union manager said that their immigration status does not play into a union campaign.

"They're trying to better their life — they have a right to organize," Vaughn said.

The union filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board as well as a petition for an election. Vaughn is counting on support from the 18 picketers; the six other employees were still at work.

Laborers 702, which broke off about two years ago from Local 872, has been recruiting construction workers from residential, light commercial and industrial projects. It currently claims about 400 members from 24 companies.

• A five-day trial involving Wynn Las Vegas and dealers who said they were discriminated against by management is almost wrapped up.

A judge is waiting for some information from the Transport Workers Union — the union that eventually organized Wynn dealers. Then the trial will be officially closed, according to NLRB attorney Joel Schochet.

The NLRB trial in July featured testimony from Steve Wynn as well as the dealers involved. At issue was whether the dealers — one who was fired, one who was suspended — were discriminated against for expressing interest in unions.

If the casino is found in the wrong, it will have to give the fired dealer, Cynthia Fields, her old job and pay her back wages and benefits.

• Roofers Local 162 is moving forward despite a near-crippling blow from Willis Roof Consulting.

The roof subcontractor would not renew its contract with the local in early 2006 and stopped paying into the union's pension and health plans, according to NLRB complaints that the Roofers won against the company.

The company — which for months did not return the union's phone calls — did not comply with the NLRB's order, so the Roofers' lawyer has taken the case to a higher court to seek enforcement of the order.

• Two cases dating back to last year's nurse contract negotiations are under appeal to the top National Labor Relations Board office in Washington, D.C.

The Service Employees International Union Local 1107 had two members fired from their jobs at Valley Health System Hospitals during contentious talks. One was fired from Valley Hospital, the other from Desert Springs Hospital.

Both cases were won by the nurses after NLRB trials in Las Vegas. But the hospitals are now appealing the decisions. The local NLRB office is in the process of responding to those appeals, Shochet said.