UNITE HERE Local 54 union members employed at Atlantic City’s Trump Taj Mahal entered Day 3 of their strike against the casino management’s unwillingness to restore their health insurance and pension packages.
More than 1,000 workers walked out Friday morning after negotiations over a fair contract with casino officials failed. The strike involves cooks, drink servers, room cleaners, luggage carriers, etc. Casino dealers and security staff are not included in the strike.
Trump Taj Mahal is one of the eight operational casinos in Atlantic City. Up until 2014, there were twelve full-scale gambling venues in the once-popular gambling hub. Financial problems and related issues forced four of those to close doors permanently.
Trump Taj Mahal barely escaped that same fate. A bankruptcy judge terminated its workers’ health care and pension benefits in late 2014. Workers employed at four other local casinos have also been trying to have their benefits restored. UNITE HERE Local 54 has been negotiating fairer contract terms with officials for the gambling venues for some time now.
The union has even warned that if no agreement was reached before the end of June, workers would go out on strike during the July 4 weekend, which is traditionally among the busiest throughout the year. New contract terms were reached with four of all five casinos addressed – Bally’s, Harrah’s, Caesars, and Tropicana.
The first three are all owned by Caesars Entertainment. As for Tropicana, it was purchased last year by billionaire Carl Icahn. And despite still being called Trump Taj Mahal, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has long not been involved in the venue’s operations. The casino was saved from bankruptcy last year by none other but Mr. Icahn.
Since buying the struggling gambling facility, the billionaire businessman has been in an open conflict with UNITE HERE Local 54 President Bob McDevitt as well as with union members who have repeatedly asked for their benefits to be restored. Mr. Icahn has not commented on the strike since its beginning.
As Mr. McDevitt told media, contract negotiations broke off early on Friday and no new talks were scheduled. The Local 54 President further commented that back in 1976, when casino gambling was first approved in the city, workers were promised well-paid middle class jobs. However, according to him, what Trump Taj Mahal now offers its employees are poverty-level jobs.
Workers that walked out told media that the strike would continue for as long as needed. They further noted that the termination of their health care and pension benefits had left them in serious financial straits.
Despite the union strike, Trump Taj Mahal is open for business and fully operational. Alan Rivin, General Manager of the gambling venue, said that there will be little impact on the casino’s operations and that guests will be welcome during the July 4 weekend as well as throughout the summer.
