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Posted By James Parks On June 17, 2008 @ 4:30 pm In Organizing & Bargaining | No Comments



The boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J., will be packed this weekend as thousands of union members and community supporters from across the country converge for a [1] major demonstration June 21 to demand that casino owners stop stalling and negotiate with the workers’ union.

Marilyn Bey (in photo), a dealer at Caesars casino, brought her children to help make signs for the rally. She says the casino workers’ solidarity already has paid off, including [2] winning a smoking ban in the casinos to protect the health of thousands of workers.

The Atlantic City dealers are on the move. We were successful pushing for the smoking ban, and we continue to make improvements in our working conditions. We’re having a rally on Saturday because it is time for the casinos to do their part. We need a union contract to improve our wages, benefits and job security. I’m confident we’re going to get that contract. When we work together, we win!

It’s not too late to join in and help the casino workers change the rigged game employers are playing. Click [3] here to sign up to ride one of the buses coming from all over the East Coast.

(Check out the website, [4] A Fair Deal for All Atlantic City Workers. You can download [5] fliers for the rally and read the [6] latest news about the Atlantic City casino workers.)

Since March 2007, more than 5,000 casino dealers, slot machine technicians and others have voted overwhelmingly to join the [7] UAW in six union representation elections at four major Atlantic City casinos: [8] Caesars, [9] Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, Bally’s and Tropicana Casino and Resort.

Yet, for more than a year, casino owners have delayed and stalled negotiations. Says UAW President Ron Gettelfinger, who will join AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and [10] New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech at the rally:

Management’s efforts to prevent workers from exercising their legal rights have failed. It’s way past time for them to come to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith with the union.

Casino workers have made their choice and have a right to a fair deal, says Kevin Donovan, assistant director of UAW Region 9, which includes New Jersey.

Atlantic City casino dealers chose to be part of the UAW. They voted to form their own unions—and in America, when all the votes are counted, the results have to mean something. Here in Atlantic City that means these workers have the right to negotiate a contract.

Other union leaders who will participate in the rally include AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka; [11] Fire Fighters President Harold Schaitberger; [12] Painters and Allied Trades President James Williams; [13] Theatrical Stage Employees President Thomas Short; UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn; United Food and Commercial Workers President Joe Hansen; David Hickey, president of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America; [14] New York State AFL-CIO President Denis Hughes; [15] Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George; Roy Foster, president of the Atlantic and Cape May Counties Central Labor Council; and Joslyn Williams, president of the [16] Metropolitan Washington (D.C.) Council.

Several members of Congress also will attend the rally—Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Reps. Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Joe Baca (D-Calif.), Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and Chris Smith (R-N.J.).

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/06/17/workers-set-for-june-21-atlantic-city-rally-to-demand-a-fair-deal/print/