In a matter that came down to the wording of their treaty and previous case law, the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma has won a major ruling from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) who decided the tribe’s enterprises are outside the reach of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
According to the order issued on June 4th by the NLRB, “Applying the test established by the Board in San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino … we find that application of the Act would abrogate treaty rights, specific to the Nation, contained in the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, … as a result, we decline to assert jurisdiction over the Nation, the Respondent here.”
The decision comes after various other verdicts casting doubt over aboriginal tribes’ actual sovereig…