by Patricia Daddona, The Day, 10/25/07...

Citing a ruling from the precedent-setting San Manuel Indian Casino case involving a much smaller casino, Regional Director Peter Hoffman found that such tribe-run enterprises “acting in interstate commerce do not fall under the ‘self-governance’ exception” to the general statutes that apply to Indian tribes.”

“I find that the incidental affects on tribal government that could potentially occur as a result of the application of the (National Labor Relations Act) to Foxwoods’ employees, which the employer claims would directly threaten the tribe’s political or economic security, are insufficient to deny the exercise of the board’s jurisdiction," he wrote.