The possibility of a strike among Atlantic City casino workers is rearing its ugly head. Local 54 of the Unite Here union – the primary one on the city for casino workers – has encountered “labor disputes” ahead of a May 31 expiration of contracts.
The union is leveraging the position of strength in which it finds itself after the Covid-19 pandemic. Labor shortages have been felt in sectors across the nation. In such situations – as it has been since time immemorial – the order of the day is wage increases. This is what the union is now seeking.
The extent of the raise it is after was not specified. Local 54 is currently negotiating with nine casinos.
To further its cause, the union set up a website – actravelalert.org – on which it lists union-aligned hotels that travelers to Atlantic City can consider while the new contracts are being negotiated.
As a reminder of the clout of labor, the website prominently features the Trump Taj Mahal on its homepage. This was a hotel that closed in 2016 after a protracted labor dispute.
This website, though an escalation of sorts, is not meant to be taken as a threat. Said union President Bob McDevitt: “We’re not threatening anybody. But we’re very serious about leveraging whatever we need to leverage to get our members a good contract.
Among the casinos with which the union is negotiating are those owned by Caesars Entertainment (Caesars, Harrah’s and the Tropicana) as well as the Borgata, owned by MGM Resorts International.
Agreements have already been reached with Ocean Casino Resort and Bally’s.
The context for this dispute, in addition to the nationwide labor shortage, is also the fact that casino revenue in Atlantic City has at last surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
