Taj Mahal picketers head to Carl Icahn's Manhattan offices

The frustrations of Atlantic City workers were heard in New York Wednesday.

Members of the UNITE HERE Local 54 took their demonstration from A.C.'s boardwalk to Manhattan – specifically heading to the offices of Trump Taj Mahal casino owner Carl Icahn.

After rallying outside his offices, the group marched to Trump Tower – once again pairing Icahn with presumptive GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Demonstrator and former Taj Mahal employee Valerie McMorris explained how Icahn extracted profits while reducing average compensation of his workers and stripping them of basic benefits.

"He took away their health care," McMorris said. "They need medication because they have asthma or they have children that are sick and they can't get those medications now, because he took away our healthcare."

Local 54 leaders have also said the business decisions of both Trump and Icahn brought them short-term profits at the expense of casino workers and the city.

The union reached agreements with several other Atlantic City casinos ahead of a July 1 strike deadline. But it was unable to come to terms with Taj Mahal leaders as Local 54 continues to demand better health and pension benefits for its members.

Representatives from the Communications Workers of America Local 1101 were also present, encouraging the demonstrators.

"CWA recently ended a long and bitter strike at Verizon," said CWA vice president Al Russo, addressing the community leaders and activists from the Take on Wall Street campaign who led the demonstration. "We know what you're going through. We know it is hard but we also know you can win."

For the most part, Icahn's management team has remained mum on the strike except to say the union appears "hell-bent on trying to close" Taj Mahal.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal