Kenosha casino risks forced unionization, unfair labor practices and political fallout

Nowhere is the law of unintended consequences more relentless—or more costly—than in politics.

Take the Menominee Tribe’s latest proposal to build an off-reservation casino in Kenosha. The Menominee, in partnership with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, have entered the final stage of the federal approval process. During the Biden Administration, all signs pointed to a speedy endorsement for the highly partisan tribe. Now, the final decision rests with President Trump’s Department of the Interior and its Bureau of Indian Affairs—along with the potential for significant, unintended consequences.

As we’ve noted before, the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the tribes and the City of Kenosha includes a 25% minority hiring set-aside—a practice fraught with implementation and fairness concerns. Yet beyond the IGA lies an even more consequential issue: the prospect of a labor agreement with far-reaching economic and political implications.

In February, slot attendants at the nearby Hard Rock Casino in Rockford, Illinois—also operated by the Seminole Tribe—voted to join the Teamsters union, underscoring ongoing labor tensions surrounding these casino operations. History suggests that, if a Kenosha casino is approved, unionization of its workforce will almost certainly follow.

During the Menominee Tribe’s 2014 attempt to gain approval for a Kenosha casino, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding (attached) with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1473, AFSCME Council 40, and UNITE HERE Local 122. That MOU included a card check agreement, which exposes workers to undue peer pressure and potential intimidation, since signatures are often collected publicly and in the presence of union organizers and colleagues. Like minority hiring quotas, card check raises serious concerns about fairness and worker freedom.

But the implications extend far beyond labor policy. Unionization at a Menominee casino could reshape the political landscape in one of Wisconsin’s most critical swing counties—especially when organized labor’s resources and mobilization power are joined with those of a well-funded, partisan tribe.

Casino supporters want us to believe that building a massive casino, concert venue, and hotel in the heart of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin will benefit local businesses and employees. But once the 60 acres of prime real estate are placed in trust, the Menominee Tribe and their out-of-state funders will have sovereign rights to operate as they see fit—and those decisions are likely to serve their own interests, not the interests of the State of Wisconsin or the residents of Kenosha.