The National Labor Relations Board regional director has sided with a group of maintenance workers at Foxwoods Resort Casino in their effort to unionize.

The International Union of Operating Engineers filed a petition March 7 stating that it has the support of a “substantial number” of employees at Foxwoods who want the union to represent them. The union filed the petition on behalf of 310 workers who hold jobs as carpenters, dispatchers, electricians, floral design engineers, painters, plumbers and other physical plant employees.

Peter B. Hoffman, the NLRB’s regional director in Hartford, Conn., listened March 19 to arguments on behalf of the workers and the casino regarding the union efforts. In a ruling issued last week, Hoffman rejected arguments by the Mashantucket Pequots that labor laws don’t apply to federally recognized tribes.

An administrative law judge last month upheld a ruling that the NLRB made in a related case. In that case, dealers at the casino are seeking representation by the United Auto Workers.

In last week’s ruling, Hoffman directed that the maintenance workers could go forward with a union ratification vote, but did not specify when that vote should take place.