Atlantic City Casino

Atlantic City Casino & Hotel

Chrisetta Bostic

HRM/531

Christine Healy

Atlantic City found itself housing the presence of Hotels and Casinos in 1976 and the first casino was opened in 1978. The New Jersey citizens voted to have gambling legalized in this tourist town. Many city residents as well as out of state people flocked to the casinos for work. In the early years the casinos were doing very good in revenue and way of life was improving for the locals who became employed by the casinos, total of 12 in all. The Hotel service workers felt they were not being fairly treated and compensated for their work. The employees got together an petition for Local 54 to represent them. After several petitions Local 54 finally got the chance to represent the employees. Many meetings of negotiation took place but in the end contracts were negotiated for the employees to include health benefits, eight hour work days and pay compensations.

The casino employees benefited by join a union in ways that far exceed what they were after in the first place. Initially they just wanted fair treatment and fair pay for their work. The union was able to negotiate a contract that provided reasonable working hours, conditions, better pay and health benefits. Joining the union was choice for some and rule out of the majority for others. Some people feared joining the unions for fear of retaliation. Even though the law states employers are not suppose to discriminate against the employees for joining a union they do and little is done to protect the employees. Many times employers who violate the law, punishment is very weak or none at all.

Local 54 uses collective bargaining. They bring several issues to the table and begin negotiating all at once. If an agreement is not made than mediation and arbitration

Atlantic City Casino & Hotel 2

proceedings began. Sometime a strike becomes necessary to prove the union members want change to occur. Hopefully strikes don’t...