Today, the Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Council announced that it has authorized a 17 percent raise in the minimum wage for employees in tribal enterprises and Paragon Casino Resort bringing it to $8.50 per hour. The state minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. The raise, which applies to all non-tip employees, will affect approximately a quarter of all employees of tribal enterprises in Avoyelles Parish. It will go into effect Monday, August 6, 2018.
Tunica Biloxi Tribal Chairman Marshall Pierite said raising the minimum wage was a top priority of the Tribal Council. “We recognize the value of all of our employees,” said Pierite. “Raising the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour for all enterprises, including Paragon Casino Resort, will be good for our employees, for the Tribe and for the local community, which is important to us.”
The Chairman also stressed that clients and guests compliment the employees they encounter in tribal enterprises often. “Our employees’ motivation and performance are a great representation of Tribal enterprises, and we want to be able to show the confidence we have in their abilities,” said Pierite.
About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near Marksville, where they were skilled traders and entrepreneurs. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,200 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas and Illinois.
The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe received federal recognition in 1981 for its reservation within the boundaries of Louisiana. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. Through its compact, negotiated by the late Tribal Chairman Earl J. Barbry Sr. and the State of Louisiana, the Tribe has assisted local governments in the area with its quarterly distribution of funds, totaling more than $40 million over two decades. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit www.tunica.org and “like” us on Facebook.