Casino workers on strike
24th June, 2008
Casino workers, and many others who agree with their cause, rallied in the streets of Atlantic City on Saturday to demand casino owners to negotiate with the workers’ union.
Owners have been stalling negotiations since workers voted to join the UAW in March of 2007, and as a result thousands banded together in a demonstration.
“I think the casinos really got our message,” said Sharon Masino, dealer at Caesars. “We voted, we won – and now it’s way past time to negotiate a contract that delivers good wages and decent health care, so we can take care of ourselves and our families.”
Even US presidential-hopeful Barack Obama wrote a letter to the casino workers and owners encouraging them to come to a deal that provides workers with what they deserve.
“I encourage the employers in the gaming industry and the UAW negotiators to come together and to recognize that work should be rewarded with a few basic guarantees, such as: quality, affordable health care when you get sick; fair treatment in the workplace and wages that can raise a family, and a dignified and secure retirement,” said Obama. “The challenges you faced to organize and now face in bargaining are the reason I cosponsored the Employee Free Choice Act, and, as President, I will proudly fight for its enactment and sign it into law.”
Also in support of the casino employees the New Jersey AFL-CIO spoke out that they are behind them all the way.
“You can count on this – one million union members in New Jersey are going to stand with Atlantic City casino workers until all workers are covered by a union contract,” said Charles Wowkanech, president of the New Jersey AFL-CIO.
The workers feelings could be felt throughout the demonstration, but one employees remarks made it clear why the casino employees were doing what they were doing.
“We can’t wait for affordable health care,” said Ernestine Dawkins, a worker at the Tropicana. “We can’t wait for a fair wage! And we’re not going to wait for respect! That’s why we fought for our union. And that’s why we’ll keep fighting until we get a contact. We are good at what we do and we want a fair deal.”
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By Michael
