(cross-posted from my personal blog Ruck Pad)

I spoke with my contact at UNITE-HERE a few weeks ago and he indicated that signature gathering was on target.  That indeed appears to be the case.  They delivered over 700,000 signatures for 4 separate ballot initiatives today to the Secretary of State.  SacBee:

Backers of referendum drives to block casino expansions for four of California’s richest gambling tribes said Monday that they have delivered some 700,000 signatures for each of four proposed ballot measures.

Al Lundeen, a spokesman for the coalition seeking to repeal the gambling agreements, said the last signatures were submitted Monday to meet an Oct. 8 filing deadline for the Feb. 5 ballot. Some 433,971 valid signatures of registered voters are required to qualify each referendum.

Unless they have an unusually high number of bad signatures these four initiatives should make the Feb 5th ballot.  It will set up a massive fight between unions and the tribes.  Both have a lot of resources, though UNITE-HERE will need the help of the larger labor community in California to wage this battle.  Given the support they had during the legislative fight earlier this year from the State Labor Council, that seems likely.

There are all kinds of issues with the contracts, especially when it comes to union organizing.  The contracts are the only way that the state has legal oversight of the tribes.  UNITE-HERE wanted check card unionizing like the Employee Free Choice Act.  These compacts can easily be opposed on other grounds.  The state really did not strike a good deal with the tribes, earning less revenue for the slot expansion than similar compacts recently negotiated in other states.

This shall be an interesting battle.  Expect many ads on your airwaves.  In the most recent battle between labor and the tribes, during the special election to replace the late Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald labor won out.  However, boots on the ground matter a disproportionately more during special elections, with the low turnout rate.  Feb 5th should be a pretty high turnout election, depending on how the early primaries/caucuses go.