According to a proposal by LCO Casino Human Resources Director Dulcie Rae Wolfe, the casino will be annexing the LCO Convenience Store at the junction of Hwy B and K and placing Class III slots in what is currently the Chester’s Chicken restaurant.
The plan was discussed and approved by the LCO Tribal Governing Board at a meeting on Tuesday, October 18. The project outline states the casino took over management of the convenience store on Monday, October 17.
Current C-Store manager, Lynette Tribble, is still managing the store. In the project outline, Tribble will be dismissed from her job duties and her position will be posted for a new hire.
“All current C-Store employees will be notified by memo and in-person meetings of transition of employment to the casino, and will be subject to casino policies, including drug screening,” the outline reads.
Some current employees have expressed they will now lose their jobs because they won’t be able to get a gaming license to work for the casino.
The outline also states that in addition to a posting for a new manager, salaried at $53,414.40 per year, a new position will be created within the casino called C-Store Director, salaried at $60,091.20 per year.
Tribble has been manager of the C-Store for 12 years and, also has a gaming license because she sits on the Gaming Commission.
“Why were all the employees offered a transition to the casino and the manager wasn’t, even though she has a license and has been managing one of the only tribal enterprises that makes money for the past 12 years,” asked one of the employees.
Current manager, Tribble, makes a lot less than the new manager position will pay at $53,000, the employee said. “They will now pay $113,505.60 for two people to do the job Lynette has already been doing for the past 12 years at far less cost. It doesn’t make any sense.”
It was pointed out that Tribble’s mother, Marilyn Tribble, has been actively involved in the group that brought a petition to Congressman Sean Duffy in regards to a federal audit of all tribal finances.
Marilyn Tribble was also recently interviewed by DrydenWire for their story last week on the audit request of four federal agencies by the Congressman.
In that interview, Marilyn said people are afraid to speak out because they will lose their jobs. She said LCO Chairman Mic Isham threatens people with their jobs. She has said that same statement several times publicly over the past year as the petition group has been holding meetings to protest what they describe as mismanagement from tribal leadership.
Many Lac Courte Oreilles tribal members believe that Lynette Tribble was targeted by the leadership for her mother’s role in the petition brought to Congressman Duffy. Marilyn is a tribal elder and doesn’t work for the tribe.
The employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity said they are going after a manager who has produced revenue for this tribe for 12 years and they are shutting down Chester’s Chicken, one of the only other tribal operations that produce a profit. She compared Chester’s to Ojibwe Java, which has been reporting losses annually since it opened.
Lynette’s brother Jeff Tribble was also dismissed from his job earlier this year and won an appeal process through tribal court. Jeff had to go through the court process three times after winning each time because Chairman Isham refused to allow Jeff back to work.
Tribal members state what is happening to the Tribble family is one example of many since Isham took over as chairman. They claim he has been trampling over employee rights. Earlier this year Isham issued a directive to all employees that they must sign a consent form that basically gives up certain guaranteed rights to every American citizen, such as a right to a jury trial.
The tribal council amended their disciplinary action and appeal process on June 21, 2016, which effectively removed the Appeals Committee and Evidentiary Hearing process for any tribal employee who wishes to appeal being dismissed from employment. The new procedure will have all tribal employee appeals heard before the LCO Tribal Court. The new policy states that no disciplinary actions are appealable anymore and that basically, the tribal court has the final say.
There are other limitations in the policy, such as limiting the amount of witnesses you can bring forth on your behalf, which is a violation of the constitution, Marilyn Tribble previously said.
Here is the Consent to Grievance and Appeal Process they now require employees to sign;
“I hereby consent, as a condition of my employment, to the Complaint Resolution Procedures set forth in Article 10 of this Personnel Policy Manual and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tribe’s Grievance and Appeal Procedure set forth in Article 12, and the jurisdiction of the Tribal Court for all disputes in connection with my employment with the Tribe. I acknowledge that my failure to comply with time limitations for resolving a complaint or filing a grievance or appeal will preclude further consideration of any matter. I hereby waive any right I may have to litigate in another court of law claims arising out of my employment, and hereby waive any right I may have to a jury trial, and agree instead to submit the claims to the Tribe’s Grievance and Appeal Procedure. I consent to the application of Tribal law, both substantive and procedural, regarding all proceedings, matters and things relating to my employment relationship.”
Jeff Tribble claimed after this ordinance was passed that it was unconstitutional. He said Isham was using this as a tool to fire employees and keep them fired because at the time, there were a lot of employees being removed but winning their appeals.
“This is another huge violation to your constitutional rights. They want you to give up your rights to DUE PROCESS by signing this paper. They cannot make this part of your employment agreements. They have in this agreement that you agree to give up your right to appeal to higher courts,” Jeff posted on Facebook in June. “They even have in there that you agree to give up your right to a jury trial, your right to a fair and impartial hearing. It also states Sec (3) Tribal Court Appeal Hearing ---(iv) The employee is limited to 1 advocate and 5 witnesses. Federal Law prohibits such limitations as part of your constitutional rights. You may have an unlimited amount of witnesses and or evidence to prove your innocence. (v) All employees requested to testify at an employment hearing must do so or you will be fined and/or face disciplinary action. This is a very bad violation of your rights. FEDERAL LAW does not allow for anyone to force you to testify in any kind of hearing. That is YOUR choice.”
An attempt was made to reach LCO Secretary Treasurer Norma Ross and Dulcie Rae Wolfe for comment on the casino annexation, but was unsuccessful.
The project outline for the new C-Store includes the addition of security cameras at the pumps, back of the store, inside store and gaming area. There will be an increase in the casino surveillance costs because of the additional cameras.
The outline states all gas pumps will be converted to credit card/prepay inside. Currently, only the outer row of pumps is prepay. Tribal members will have to get their discounts at the register inside.
A 30-day notice of mandatory drug testing will be given to all current employees and the new manager hire, replacing Lynette Tribble, will begin November 14.
Last Update: Oct 23, 2016 4:50 pm CDT
