On October 22nd, 2007, about 90% of the slot technicians working at the Tropicana Casino supported the union effort. This will be the 2nd United Auto Worker bargaining group at the Tropicana Casino; 80% of the full time and part time casino dealers and dual rate employees voted in support of the union efforts on August 25th, 2007.
Union backers have triumphed in six union elections in Atlantic City gambling properties for this year including the two bargaining groups at the Tropicana casino; full time and part time casino dealer, keno game workers and simulcast employees at Caesars casino; slot technicians at Caesars; full time and part time employees and dual rate employees at Trump Plaza and full time and part time casino dealers, dual rate employees, keno and simulcast employees at Bally's.
In another good win for the rights of casino employees, an administrative law judge of the NLRB set aside objections by the Bally's casino. Judge David I. Goldman in an October 18th, 2007 which set aside union misconduct during the union election said that the result of the ballots shows that most of the votes have been filed for the petitioner.
Goldman said that the decision by more than seventy percent of the Bally's employees should be finalized by the NLRB. Joe Ashton, the director of the United Auto Workers Region 9 commented that Bally's should follow this ruling and cooperate with them on the bargaining table.
Employees at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, which is in the middle of a big expansion recently finished an agreement which includes a $1,000 signing cash bonus and a 4% raise for employees annually.
[04-11]
Louis Blechdom
