Labor Union Protests With A Giant Rat
A labor union is taking its protests to the next level by using a giant inflatable rat as a mascot.
The union is using a giant inflatable rat to protest a Stateline casino. The protest has been on for nearly seven days in front of a Lake Tahoe casino.
The inflatable rat is serving as a sigil, and it has a sign saying “Harvey has rats.”
A walk or drive through Stateline shows the large inflatable grey Rat. The inflatable rat, which stands at 15-feet, has a massive set of teeth, glowing red eyes, in addition to the sign.
Now, the union is not accusing Harveys of having actual rodents. However, it is claiming that the conglomerate of hiring a “rat” construction company.
“We are protesting Harveys for hiring what we believe is a low-level contractor, that doesn’t drug test and uses unsafe practices,” Eloy Jara, assistant business manager for Laborer’s International Local 169 based out of Reno, said Friday. “The rat signifies that we are accusing Harveys of hiring a rat contractor that is a non-union. We’re mad because our contractors possibly didn’t even get a chance to bid the job.”
The Start Of The Protest
Jara said the protest started on Monday. However, it was cut short after law enforcement came and checked them out.
He said while the Sheriff’s office told him that the protest was legal, he still had to take down the rat.
” “They threatened to give us a citation, and we told them we’d happily accept it because we felt it was unlawful,” Jara said. “That they’d be violating our First Amendment rights.”
Douglas County Undersheriff Ron Elges said they received some complaints from businesses in the area.
“We thought they might be blocking the pedestrian walkway, but after further inspection, they are within their legal rights,” Elges said. “They weren’t obstructing traffic. As long as they are not blocking the path and it’s not a safety hazard, they are legal.”
“Were gonna be here five days once a month and one day every week,” Lara said. “It’s an uphill battle, but we want to send a message to Harveys that we’re not tolerating their hiring practices.”
