Atlantic City’s casinos union authorised strike

Workers of four Atlantic City casinos voted to authorise a strike if the Unite Here Local 54 was not given a fair contract by the start of the July 4 Independence Day holiday weekend.

US.- Workers at four Atlantic City casinos voted to authorise a strike if the Unite Here Local 54 was not given a fair contract by the start of the July 4 holiday weekend. The initiative was approved by an overwhelming margin.

The threat of a strike over Independence Day weekend would give the workers more leverage in negotiations, as the strike would shut down operations in the 4 resorts over the most lucrative period of the year. Unite Here is currently negotiating on behalf of 6,000 cooks, cocktail waitressses, housekeepers, and hospitality workers. At this point all of the workers are working under expired contracts.

Bob McDevitt, local 54 President said in a statement: “They need to offer these workers a fair contract. We gave up a lot when times were bad, now that they are making money, they need to give back to us.”

The four casinos in conflict with the workers include Tropicana, owned by Carl Icahn; Caesars Atlantic City, Bally’s Atlantic City owned by Caesars Entertainment Operations Corporation (CEOC), which is in bankruptcy and Harrah’s Atlantic City, owned by Caesars Entertainment, CEOC’s parent company which is not in bankruptcy.