Fourth of July in Atlantic City could feature more than
fireworks this year. Picket lines could be a part of the holiday weekend as
thousands of casino workers voted Thursday night to authorize a strike that
would begin July 1.
Unite Here Local 54 members overwhelmingly voted in favor
of authorizing the strike. A union spokesman told the Wall Street Journal 96
percent of the voting members cast ballots for the strike.
The union's strike would impact Bally’s Atlantic City
Hotel and Casino, Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City Hotel
and Casino and the Tropicana Casino. The union previously authorized a strike
against the Trump Taj Mahal.
If the strike occurs, it would be the first time in at
least 12 years casino workers walked off the job, according to WSJ.
The average pay
for casino workers is about $25,000 a year, [Union President Bob] McDevitt
said. On average, Unite Here workers surrendered $1,500 annually each in pay
and benefits to help casinos survive, he said. A 34-day strike in 2004 meant a
loss of some $60 million in revenue for casinos on the boardwalk, he added.
Unite Here leaders often cite the members' willingness to
make sacrifices in the recent past when the gambling industry was being
contracted in the Shore resort town. Following the closures of several casinos,
the industry has started to rebound in A.C. and the union says it is time for
the casinos to make up for the concessions its members previously made.
Source: Philadelphia
Business Journal
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