“I was just told ‘We’re moving a different direction’ and that was it,” Trudy said in a recent interview with Arapaho Voice. “They told me to go file for unemployment, and they wouldn’t fight the unemployment claim.”
She also said that HR claimed that they didn’t know that she had put in for leave to see her son before he was deployed, and that it was mentioned as a ‘reason’ for her termination.
“My son is in the military and was going to go on a deployment, so I wanted to see him before he got deployed,” she said. “They knew I was out…I sent an email to the manager’s group, so everybody knew I was out. I put my leave into the system.”
She said that, since the Council was getting involved, those
in management positions were supposed to have weekly meetings with the Manager,
“…but we never had meetings,” she said. “That recently started, and I was
unaware of that.”
Wait, who? What? When? Where?
Trudy was unsure about who had replaced her. She was told that they might put the new HR GP's wife into her old position. “They make positions for these wives,” she said.
She said that Leckrone told the CFO to fire her “because he couldn’t fire me, he doesn’t want to. "After the [General] Council voted him out, we were ushered into a managers’ meeting, and he told us that because of what had happened, he was going to be out of the office for two days with his phone off and not to bother him, but that business was supposed to go on as usual.”
They were told that he was in Vegas, “but we know he was there, because one of the co-workers saw his truck in the back, but his office was closed” she said. “We were told not call because his phone was going to be off for two days. We had some big issues that needed to be addressed in this hotel, and I did tell him about it. He was just basically hiding in his office, not wanting to deal with the public, not wanting to deal with people or issues. So we had to handle them the best that we could.”
As issues would pile up and come back to the table, Trudy said that Leckrone became more dismissive. “He would be like, ‘What is this?’ and I said, ‘I told you guys this; I sent you emails, I called the executive team.’ It had gotten so far to the point where he didn’t want to talk to any of us managers…he was like, ‘Well, you guys take care of it…’”
“And I’m like, ‘This is your job!’” she continued. “I understand that Council
voted you out, but you still have a job to do. But he didn’t want to do it
because he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty, and then he places it on
somebody else on the executive team.”
You are a guest here...
The casino’s employee handbook is dated back to 2007 with no revisions (even through COVID). Therefore, handbooks are not given to employees upon employment, as it is said that they are being revised. Instead, they are given the casino's hotel policies and procedures manual, which is more about gaming operations.
Trudy said that she had a notebook where she wrote everything down, and took it with her when she was fired. She said she didn’t trust them, and went on to talk about some of the things they wanted her to do.
She had noticed that she was being retaliated upon when she would stand up for her employees.
“I got them (her employees) raises, I stood up for them,” she said. “They didn’t like it when I would tell them what I thought about things.”
“Sometimes they wanted me to write people up and I would tell them “No, I’m her manager, and I’m backing her story because it did happen,” she said. “It happened to me when I got verbally abused by an MOD and (an employee) was there when it happened. Then she did it to somebody else, but she (the employee) stood her ground, and they wanted me to write her up for standing up for herself! And I said, ‘No, I’ll take the write-up for her.’ I’m not doing that, because it’s not right.”
It came to a point where even the HR director had asked, “Why do you stand up for your staff like this?”
Trudy replied:
“You do know that the Northern Arapaho Tribe employs us. You’re just a guest here. I’m just a guest here. I’m not Northern Arapaho, but my dad always told me when we used to live here: “You treat yourself as a guest. These guys are welcoming, they’re warm, they’re nice enough to give us jobs…you need to treat them with respect because this is their home."
Trudy is married to an Eastern Shoshone/Northern Arapaho, and some of her relatives are half Arapaho “...but I still consider myself a guest and respect them,” she said. “They didn’t like that I said that.”
A flawed system
The point system is, basically…the more points you have, the worse it is, and can be grounds for discipline or termination. The less points you have, the better. Trudy said that when she was a manager, she was once “basically forced to take an employee that had well over 140 points,” she said. “You’re not supposed to transfer an employee with 10 points or more. But they made me transfer her…and then they made me start her points back at zero.”
Trudy said she was upset because for a while, her manager and HR wouldn’t tell her anything about the circumstances surrounding the 140 points. Then she finally gained access to the employee’s information in the old (Kronos) system.
“I printed it all out,” she said. “She just had a whole bunch of points and I was thinking, ‘How does she still have a job?’”
Trudy gave the
printout to Leckrone, who looked at it, and was kind of
upset because the manager didn’t go by the point system. She asked Leckrone
what she should do.
“He said to just start her back at zero,” she said. “I was like, 'That’s not fair!' He said, “Well, nobody needs to know.'
"Yeah, But I know."
As a purchasing agent, Trudy said she herself never had a problem with the point system.
“I was always on time, and I abided by it,” she said. “By the time I moved into my management position, I only had like a point and a half. But I started to look at the point system more, because they were trying to say that I was favoring people.”
Trudy discovered that the UKG (ukg.com) system was adding points when it was not supposed to. She mentioned an employee who had a legitimate day off, but the system had pointed her for having an (unapproved) day off. Trudy said that the system could even double-point an employee without knowing where it came from.
“So that point system is not 100% accurate. We were told it’s a great system; it does what it needs to do, you don’t ever have to worry.” But Trudy discovered that the system was double-pointing people, or pointing people for having days off, or pointing them for clocking out a little early or late.
Trudy said that the UKG System Auditor was supposed to go in randomly and audit people to see if we were doing it right, check attendance patterns, etc.
“But he never did,” she said. “When I pointed out these people who were double-pointed by accident, he said, ‘You can go in there and change it.’ But I don’t want to change it! Because I don’t want somebody to go in there and say: ‘She took it off (for so-and-so) because they’re friends.’”
“He was like, ‘No, you can go in there and manipulate
it…and you can,” Trudy continued. “So if you really like this person and
you didn’t want your buddy to get fired, you could do that. And there are a lot
of people who know each other’s schedules, what time we’re supposed to be there...I noticed it in my department before I was a manager, there was one lady who was late
every day. But I never questioned it, that’s not my thing, that’s her
thing—maybe they have an agreement there? I don’t know.”
No overtime
Trudy said that when she was employed with the casino, she kept up with everything and knew what she was doing.
“I was there all the time, but these past couple weeks I had been doing 40 and leaving because before, if I worked 52 hours, I would have 12 hours comp time that I could use like leave without pay. But for some reason (and I’m not sure who abused it), we were told that you have to work over 48 hours before receiving comp time, and it has to be approved. So when I was training our new supervisor, I think I worked 47-48 hours and it was taken away from me. My husband said that was like working six days a week.”
When Trudy first started working at the casino, there were times when she was working 52-60 hours a week. She said she had worked that kind of schedule for months.
She said that an HR admin abused the system. “They said, ‘I have 100+ of hours of comp time,’ and I’m like, “How? You’re HR. You’re never there, you never answer the phone, you’re off on holidays. You don’t work weekends. I can understand security arcades doing that, because we’re 24-hour operational. But for an admin person to have over 100 hours of comp time? That doesn’t make sense. You guys are never here.”
Trudy also said that they’d go to conferences when it didn’t make sense to go.
"I’d ask, 'Why? That has nothing to do with us.’ I got sent to one, and I’m like, why are we even here? We don’t even have this new technology. Why did you send us to Vegas for a week when we don’t even have this updated stuff? I don’t see the point in it; it’s just wasting money.”
Lack of Communication
When Trudy was terminated, she was in the office with HR management, who said to reach out to them if she needed any letters of recommendation or filing for unemployment.
“When I told her where I was (her son’s deployment), she looked at me surprised. I said, ‘Why are you surprised. Everyone knew I was leaving.’ I heard that when they took a vote on it, one of the VP executives thought I was going to be transferred out, not fired.”
Security, including the supervisor, is supposed to escort a terminated employee out of the casino. When Trudy was fired, security didn’t even know about it.
“Once I had to let someone go,” she said. “When I did it, I had to have the proper documentation so they could sign it (or refuse to sign it). A security supervisor had to be there, so I let her go and he said ‘We’ll take it from here’ and he escorted her to her locker and then escorted her off the grounds. That didn’t happen with me.”
Bad timing
So now what? Trudy said that she is home, looking for jobs.
“I applied for six jobs because during the wintertime my husband doesn’t work because his job is seasonal,” she said. “So I’m the breadwinner from November until starting springtime until he can work. So this put on a lot of added stress for us, because I’m usually the one with the steady job during the winter.”
Trudy said that she didn’t see the termination coming. “They didn’t tell me, I wasn’t notified, they didn’t even give me a week or anything like that. If I was doing such a bad job, couldn’t they have just transferred me out of the department, or just to something lower? I would have taken it.”
She said that “one manager never worked on our rooms for
an entire year…[there was] a housekeeping manager who had no linens, sweeps bedbugs under
the rugs, cockroaches, flies…I leave to see my son deployed, and you think I’m
dropping the ball?”
Trudy also mentioned that there was a security manager “who tased a gentleman in the hotel lobby, and he was bleeding all over,” she said. “But his security team didn’t secure the scene…people just walked by, there were recordings of it, and nobody did anything..."
"...And you guys get mad at me? I
just don’t understand it.”
NOTE: After publication, several came forward with corrections about the taser incident in the hotel lobby. It was not a security manager, but a BIA officer that tased the guest, and there is a recording of the incident.
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Further reading:
https://www.wyoleg.gov/InterimCommittee/2019/STR-201910148-01Title10SALOCTERO.pdf
The following was spoken at the Northern Arapaho General Council on Saturday, September 14th in regard to and supportive of the termination of Wind River Casino General Manager Patrick Leckrone.
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My name is Carol Harper, and I am here to speak today regarding intimidation tactics used by the General Manager of the Wind River Casino Patrick Leckrone against myself.
I have not been an employee of the casino. This happened when I was a reporter and writer for County 10.
A year ago, Will Hill, CEO of County 10, was called into a private meeting by Mr. Leckrone and other members who were what Mr. Hill assumed to be the NABC and/or other casino management.
Mr. Leckrone proceeded to hand an ultimatum to Mr. Hill, saying that if he did not fire me, that they would pull all of their advertising from County 10. The reason for the ultimatum was because I spoke out in a Riverton City Council meeting, and they did not like what I said.
But I was not an employee of County 10; I was a contracted writer.
Regardless of the ultimatum, Mr. Hill was not intimidated by Mr. Leckrone's mafia-like tactics. He told them, "Then I guess you will have to pull your advertising."
I am a tribal member, a Riverton resident, and a U.S. citizen. I was not speaking on behalf of anyone but myself at that meeting, and as a U.S. citizen, I have a right to assemble before my local government for a redress of grievances.
Any business - whether it's a casino or news media - is not successful unless they value their employees. They are the ones that make the business successful, and how you treat them makes all the difference.
Mr. Hill and County 10 have treated me with the utmost respect and integrity, and it has been my pleasure to write for them. He could see that I was being crookedly targeted...his morals and ethics stood firm that day, and I am grateful for it.
Additionally, I would question the practice of pulling advertising from one of Fremont County's major news media companies, simply because Mr. Hill wouldn't play the game.
Intimidation is a form of bullying, and it is not a way to build a healthy tribal economy and community, yet it is rampant throughout. Bullying doesn't just hurt the person being bullied; it hurts the entire tribe, causes division, and leads to more serious problems, including death.
If intimidation and ultimatums are the practices of Mr. Leckrone, then I suppose we should choose whether we want his lack of morals and ethics to continue under his management.
Thank you
__________
Carol "Sweet Singing Woman" Harper
Except for the names of those who wish to remain anonymous and for the protection and purpose of such anonymity, all of the following Facebook messages below are copied/pasted as received.
______________________________________________my concern, well a couple is why can't the off rez/ out of state ppl get the same done for them, like the food bank stuff, help with our energy bills, winterizing items, they CAN BE SHIPPED, and last....other tribes wiped out their members loans..why can't they do this to little wind loans? yes we all made the loans but times are hard tight now.
______________________________________________
RE: GC agenda item
employees rights
they way they fire good workers and
label them to not be able to find another job after giving years of service.
how can we push for employees rights and make sure they are following their guidelines and policies?
their hand book is crazy.
it says due process but it's not....then says at will
it's not clear
would EEOC be able to help?
______________________________________________
This is the per capita law. Should ask why council is going against federal law for the circle ridge revenue.
(Link: https://www.congress.gov/85/statute/STATUTE-72/STATUTE-72-Pg541.pdf)
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Arapaho Ranch Concerns
This is a money maker that is being ignored or slept on. It will take work but once it's up and running, it CAN be profitable to tribe. Before any "tourism" can be started, the ranch NEEDS a lot of updating. Electrical, plumbing, just to name a few. The condition the ranch hands live in is horrid. It's in bad shape and it would be embrassing to tribe for any outsiders to see it in the condition it's in now. Every program needs 1-3 years (maybe more) to grow and be profitable. That means no profit for at least 3 years. You can just plant a seed and expect crops the next day.
• Create a summer internship program for the youth to learn...
- Contruction; remodel and update Main house and bunkhouses
- Landscaping; clean up the weeds and such around the property
- Plumbing
Outcome: youth learn a trade skill, needed updated work on ranch is done at little cost.
• Seasonal Apprenticeship programs for youth in ranching, cattle, horsemanship, blacksmith, welding, meat butchering, etc. Outcome: Youth are exposed to and learn other trade skills. Open to native youth and non-native youth. Charge a seasonal fee which includes food, room and board. Outcome: funds created go to back into program to build and solidify and obtain equipment needed for program.
• Create a meat processing business; hunters can drop off wild game or beef to be processed. Outcome: money coming into ranch to be used to update equipment needed to operate butcher shop.
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I have 2 questions for the Council.
1 (two part question): why did they fire the DFS Director and replace her with Clarence Thomas? And did they realize that the former Director of DFS was all for the people, families and children? It was rumored that she was given her termination letter that stated her termination reason as “For Cause”.
2. If the council claims to have “Transparency”, why don’t we see or know anything regarding anything finance related? A really good example of this would be Circle Ridge. We haven’t seen any financial reports explaining where our money goes.
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have you considered, getting a plan to: to get video to all in state/Casper, Cheyenne etc and out of state/Texas (where I'm at) Oklahoma, etc to the General Council, like other Native American Business Council back East, where they do these
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I would also question her claim of having an MPA Masters in Public Administration
(In reference to the in-house attorney)
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I ae some concerns about childcare and employment. I had some issues I reported with HR with Eastern Shoshone Birth to Five Headstart. I had done a grievance and still no outcome. The reason I am reaching out to you is that I had experienced some very disturbing behavior in the headstart while employed as a custodian. Also other employees can verify these accounts. I have recordings of meetings that went no where. And a lot of other things that even include police misconduct. I would like to attend a meeting to bring my concerns and awareness. Thank you so much.
I have paper proof and voice recordings of incidences.
I believe the Arapaho and Shoshone should know what goes on behind closed doors.
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How can I become a member of your organization?
I don’t know if you’re going to get this or not but I would like to remain Anonymous….but I was told my an ex business council person some yrs ago that the business council has their hands on a lot of shady stuff with other businesses people in the community ie Riverton Lander ect.
But the business council Does have money!! Some one just needs to REALLY look into it.. but this ex business council person only did one term then didn’t run again the person said he/she just couldn’t do it anymore & didn’t want to be apart of the dealings
In a discreet location hoping that something would become of this and yet nothing has
And then there are those very unfriendly people who have been at the tribal office for way too many years and who treat our people poorly. I'm talking about the lady with the horse voice in csbg and the people in finance with the exception of one or two people
It's like the council are afraid to go against each other and will not express their own personal opinion or go against what the other council members are thinking. This is not a good characteristic of a good working group that decides day-to-day matters for a people of 10,000 members
And the drug use of two or three people in this group is embarrassing there were rumors that during covid and I have nothing against lgbtq but I heard that boyfriends of boyfriends families were given motel rooms While others were denied
Something has to be done about the court system because people are suffering while incompetent judges and prosecutors allow this to happen. There was a serious HIPAA violation in front of 20 people in the courtroom when the prosecutor talked about an inmates medical condition
Let's get away from the good old boy system the buddy buddy system where you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. You hire my son and I'll hire your sister
I think that's all I have for now I don't know if anybody will read this please let me know if you're in receipt of this LOL
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This email was anonymously sent to the ArapahoVoice@gmail.com email address, and was copied/pasted as received.
