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Bally's Casino dealers join growing movement for union rights
Message was posted: 08:05 Apr 17th, 2007

User: lpelham Rank: Casino Gold: 42145CG Contributor rating: 91840 Status: Offline

Casino news source: Global Union - http://www.union-network.org Bally's Casino dealers join growing movement for union rights Trump Marina dealers to vote May 11 ATLANTIC CITY – In another sign of a growing movement for workplace rights in Atlantic City casinos, dealers at Bally’s Casino today filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a union representation election. Workers at Bally’s are now the fourth group of casino dealers who have taken steps to form unions as part of the UAW, the only union in America that currently represents dealers in the gaming industry. “All across Atlantic City, dealers are coming together, united by the common desire to have a real say in securing better pay and benefits and job security,” said Joe Ashton, director of UAW Region 9, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania and upstate New York. “They’re standing up for basic fairness, and the UAW is proud to stand with them.” An overwhelming majority of dealers at Caesars casino voted in favor of union representation on March 17. On March 31, an overwhelming majority of dealers at Trump Plaza also voted in favor of the UAW. A majority of casino dealers at Trump Marina became the third group to organize when they filed a petition for a union representation election with the NLRB on March 30. Yesterday, Trump Marina dealers reached an agreement with management for the National Labor Relations Board to hold a union representation election on Friday, May 11. All full-time and regular part-time dealers, dual-rate dealers/supervisors and simulcast employees are eligible to vote in the election, which will take place in the Biscayne Room at the Trump Marina. At Bally’s, the bargaining unit will include full and part-time dealers, dual-rate supervisors, simulcast and keno employees. A strong majority of workers in these job classifications have signed union authorization cards. “A strong majority of dealers at Bally’s have sent a clear message. The dealers’ union movement in Atlantic City is growing larger and more powerful,” said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn, who directs organizing efforts for the UAW’s Technical, Office and Professional (TOP) Department. Bally’s is owned by Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc., which also owns the Caesars casino in Atlantic City. http://www.uaw.org/news/newsarticle.cfm?ArtId=455

Bally's Casino dealers join growing movement for union rights
Message was posted: 05:21 Jun 3rd, 2007

User: vegasqueen Rank: Casino Gold: 28510CG Contributor rating: 71920 Status: Offline

Casino news source: Detroit Free Press - http://www.freep.com N.J. casino workers vote to join UAW June 3, 2007 ASSOCIATED PRESS ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Casino dealers at Bally’s Atlantic City voted emphatically in favor of forming a union in what both sides considered a pivotal vote in the unionization effort at the resort’s 11 casinos. The vote by full- and part-time dealers, dual-rate dealers, keno and simulcast employees was 628-255 in favor of becoming part of the United Auto Workers union. Results were announced early today. “This strong majority vote is another great victory for casino dealers in Atlantic City,” said Joe Ashton, director of UAW Region 9. “We’re proud to have been able to support these workers secure a voice on the job, and we look forward to bargaining a contract that will address pay, benefits, job security and other issues of concern for casino dealers.” The Bally’s vote followed unsuccessful drives to unionize at Trump Marina Hotel Casino and the Atlantic City Hilton. Before that, in March, dealers at Caesars Atlantic City and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino voted to join the UAW. The union already represents dealers at Detroit's three gambling halls: MGM Grand Detroit Casino, MotorCity Casino and Greektown Casino. “We are terribly disappointed that our dealers chose to hire the services of the Detroit-based union,” said Carlos Tolosa, president of the Eastern Division of Harrah’s Entertainment, which operates Bally’s Atlantic City. Many of Atlantic City’s 45,000 casino workers already are represented by unions, including many service employees. But until this year, dealers were not among them. Previous efforts to unionize dealers either failed or were quickly undone. The union drive comes at a time of great change in Atlantic City, where casinos are facing competition from slots parlors in Pennsylvania and New York — and could face an in-state challenge if a proposed parlor opens at the Meadowlands Race Track. To keep pace, Atlantic City’s casinos are undertaking a wave of costly expansion and renovation, which in turn has led to greater pressure to control labor costs. At Tropicana Casino and Resort, nearly 700 jobs have been eliminated since it was bought in January by Columbia Sussex Corp., a private equity firm.