On May 26, 2007, dealers from the Hilton Casino Resort in Atlantic City threw a bid to organize a union. According to the officials of both the Union and the Casino, the casino dealers voted in a 316-268 margin against the proposal of the United Auto Workers (UAW).
Tony Rodio, the President of the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, said that the casino respects and acknowledges the decision made by their casino dealers and also wishes that the UAW will also respect the outcome.
The Hilton Union Vote is part of the plan to place the 11 Atlantic City gambling casinos under one group. So far, at least 5 casinos have already decided whether to join the union drive or not.
In March 2007, the casino dealers working at Caesars Atlantic City and the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino voted in favor of the Union. The UAW has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board regarding the narrow rejection of the casino dealers at the Trump Marina Hotel casino of the proposed union.
The next union vote is scheduled on June 2, 2007 for the casino dealers in Bally's Atlantic City and the UAW officials vowed to continue educating the workers of each casino in Atlantic City about the benefits of being represented by a union.
Joe Ashton, the director of the UAW Region 9, which handles New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Western New York, said that they will go with the vote on June 2nd despite the setbacks.
Ashton further stated that the casino officials are hoping that their underhanded tactics will convince the players to reject the offer, but that will not happen. Casino employees are fighting for their rights and they are happy to support them anyway they can.
06/03/2007 20:59 PM
Davis Coulter