Unions

Unions seem to be targeting the casino industry this year. In light of the new workers being hired at racinos in PA, FL and now with table games in West Virginia, unions are trying to make some inroads into an industry where unions were previously only represented in the non-gaming side of the business.

In Atlantic City, the United Auto Workers have signed up dealers at five casinos. They've won two elections at Caesars and Trump Plaza and are waiting on results for three others. The goal of the union is to organize all 11 casinos, but there's no proof they can deliver what they promise. The dealers are being led down a garden path and may find out that joining a union costs much more than simply union dues. A casino can spread the floor (i.e., open all the tables) and flood the dealers' time cards with hours therefore reducing the hourly toke rate by as much as $5 per hour (they average around $15 per hour right now, not including their salary which can be anywhere from $5-$8 per hour).

In Las Vegas, the dealers at Wynn are attempting to unionize with the Transport Workers Union. They are upset over a plan that was forced upon them that has they splitting their tips with supervisors.

It seems to me that that answer to these problems is communication. The casinos in Atlantic City seem to have forgotten that and at Wynn, there apparently was a problem with a disparity in pay between the dealers and supervisors.

—Roger Gros