The long-simmering labor dispute surrounding Atlantic City’s casino workers has hit another milestone after Resorts Casino reached an agreement with Local 54 of the Unite Here union, the group representing the workers.
With this deal, there is now only one casino of the city’s nine – the Golden Nugget – which is yet to come to an agreement.
The hope is that this is that they are able to reach a deal when it and the union come to the bargaining table later this week. From both sides, a deal seems likely to be reached.
In the event a resolution is not found, though, a strike has been authorized for Golden Nugget workers on July 30.
According to union president Robert McDevitt, the deal with Resorts was similar to that established several weeks ago with other casinos in the city, when a walk-out was narrowly averted.
Among the stipulations of the agreement are an hourly raise to $22 for housekeeping workers upon the completion of a four-year contract; the maintenance by the casinos of family health care and pension plans; stronger job-protection measures; more work opportunities; and technological protections.
Among the differences between this round of negotiations and those seen in the past are efforts on the part of the union to seek pay raises that will keep salaries in line with inflation, rising gas prices, and other skyrocketing living expenses.
Resorts President Mark Giannantonio commented: “It’s a great deal. We’re really thrilled for the employees. They’ve been working really hard for us, and now we’re happy we can put this behind us and move forward with our business.”
