The Las Vegas Culinary Union (formally, Local 226 of the Culinary Union) doesn’t like non-union casinos here in Las Vegas. One such casino is the Cosmopolitan Hotel. It’s one of the newest of Las Vegas’s mega-resorts, and it’s a beautiful facility. Last year I attended the National Association of Enrolled Agent’s national conference in August at the Cosmo (I was taking the third and final year of the National Tax Practice Institute). The Culinary Union would like all convention business at the Cosmo to vanish. This year’s conference is also scheduled for the Cosmo. The Culinary Union decided on the strategy of calling EA’s…in the middle of tax season.
Today, someone from the Culinary Union called me. I was on the phone, so the call went to voice mail. After listening to the first 20 seconds of the message I hit delete. I don’t have time for much besides work, sleep, and the gym during the height of tax season–and it is just that right now: the height of tax season.
I’m not taking sides for or against the Culinary Union. They may be right in their fight against the Cosmo or they may be wrong. However, they’re dead wrong in calling tax professionals at the height of tax season. If anything, the Culinary Union’s current action is counterproductive. While today’s call will not impact whether or not I attend the conference, if I did make a decision based on the call I’d be attending.
A hint to the Culinary Union: Tax professionals are far less busy after April 15th. We have time to listen then…but not now.
