Tribal law will govern a labor union's latest bid to organize engineering workers at Foxwoods Resort Casino, an effort expected to hinge on a May 13 vote.

Local 30 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, which earlier this month petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to conduct a union election at Foxwoods, withdrew the petition last week, opting instead to proceed under the labor laws of the Indian tribe that owns the casino.

"The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is pleased that the International Association of Operating Engineers has decided to pursue its goals under the Tribal system," the tribe said in a statement Wednesday. "This move avoided another lengthy jurisdictional fight that would have been costly for all parties."

The tribe maintains that the NLRB has no sway over the tribe, a sovereign nation. Having voted to affiliate with the UAW, some 2,500 table-games dealers at the casino agreed in 2008 to negotiate a contract under tribal law. Those negotiations led to a two-year contract ratified by dealers Jan. 29.

Tribal labor law prohibits strikes by workers and provides for binding arbitration in the case of an impasse in negotiations. According to the tribe's statement Wednesday, the law allows employees to join labor unions and engage in collective bargaining and "provides for secret ballot elections for employees to choose whether they want to be represented by a labor union."

The Mashantucket Employment Rights Office, which enforces the tribal labor law, is expected to conduct the May 13 election among some 260 employees who work in the casino's engineering, facilities, projects, engineering apprenticeship and interior landscape departments. A majority of those eligible to vote would have to endorse the union for it to prevail.

Local 30's first attempt to organize Foxwoods workers was rejected by a nearly 3-to-1 ratio in a May 1, 2008 vote.

Local 30 did not respond to requests for comment.