Atlantic City casino workers have now reached four-year agreements featuring substantial pay raises with all nine casinos in the popular New Jersey destination after Golden Nugget inked a new deal with Local 54 of the Unite Here union on Thursday, putting an end to the employees’ unrest. The agreement bring four years of labor peace for the city, removing any chance of a strike.
The Golden Nugget settlement contains the same basic economic elements as those approved at the other eight casinos, including a $22 hourly rate for housekeeping employees in the fourth year of the contract.
On other occasions when workers had the need to adjust their working conditions, the union concentrated on preserving care and pension benefits. However, this time it sought “significant” pay raises for workers to help them cope with inflation and pay for gasoline, food, rent and other living expenses.
Golden Nugget Atlantic City
The agreements remove any chance of a strike for the next four years, which is an important consideration for Atlantic City’s casino industry as it tries to return to pre-pandemic business levels.
In a press statement, union president Bob McDevitt said: “It’s gratifying after long and difficult negotiations for each side to feel that it has been successful. The future of the city is secure, the leadership of the industry is sound, and Local 54 will always fight for the rights of workers.”
The union had authorized a strike for Saturday against any casino that continued without a contract.
Workers at Golden Nugget held a button up today ahead of our strike authorization vote (Golden Nugget and Resorts Casinos) next Tuesday!
NOW is our time🔥 pic.twitter.com/UT5oU5dIYn— UNITE HERE Local 54 (@UHLocal54) July 15, 2022
Tom Pohlman, Golden Nugget’s senior vice president and general manager, said: “We were one of the final casinos that was approached for negotiations and we are proud it was a swift and amicable agreement. We are excited to be moving forward together and focusing on the quality and level of service that customers have come to expect from the Golden Nugget.”
The latest and last deal with Golden Nugget follows the completion of negotiations Wednesday with Resorts Casino Hotel on a new contract. President Mark Giannantonio stated that the company is “thrilled” for the employees. “They’ve been working really hard for us, and now we’re happy we can put this behind us and move forward with our business,” he said.
Bob McDevitt, Local 54's president.
In addition to raises, the agreements reached with the casinos maintain fully funded family health care and pension benefits, language that protects jobs and increases work opportunities, and new technology protections, the union said.
More than 9,000 workers across the board have received pay raises in the deals reached with managers at the Borgata, Caesars, Hard Rock, Harrah’s and Tropicana. Workers at Bally’s and Ocean Casino Resort are also covered by the deal through “me-too agreements” the union has accepted. About 99% of workers who voted in ratification elections approved the new pacts.
The union will hold ratification votes on the Resorts and Golden Nugget deals next week, but approval is widely expected.
