Bally’s narrowly avoids industrial action in Rhode Island casino

Unite Here union have agreed to continue working for two weeks during negotiations.

Bally’s narrowly avoided a walkout over the busy July 4 weekend at its Twin River Lincoln casino. Members of the Local 26 Unite Here union voted overwhelmingly for the strike to take place and further industrial action is still at risk of occurring.

The workers, who cast ballots from 8AM to 8PM last Tuesday, voted 92% in favor of striking on Independence Day, the day their contract with the casino expired according to spokeswoman Lynette Ng.

Ng said they had agreed to continue working for at least two weeks because a bargaining process is still ongoing. The union is seeking increased staffing, with more full-time schedules, as well as wages that match increases in the cost of living.

Bally’s spokesperson Patti Doyle said the company would not comment on the negotiations but did say that the union represents only 200 of the 1,900 employees at the Lincoln casino. Unite Here union does not have a presence at Bally’s Tiverton casino in Rhode Island at all.

Talks on Friday averted the proposed walkout, and these negotiations will continue when casino and union representatives meet again this Wednesday.

Unite Here has been active recently in other states, with its Local 54 branch in Atlantic City threatening strike action in multiple casinos. The Borgata, Caesars, Harrah’s, the Tropicana, and the Hard Rock casino all reached agreements with the union in New Jersey, avoiding what would have been very costly strikes.

Bally’s Twin Rivers and Tiverton casinos had already been undergoing a shaky year. Revenue from table games, video lottery terminals, and sports betting were down 13.3% to $95.3m in the first two months of 2022, compared with 2020. There will be relief that this strike didn’t further dampen the performance of the company’s Rhode Island casinos.

Robert Collins

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