Dealers at Caesars, Bally's vote on strike

22.07.2009, ATLANTIC CITY - Dealers at Bally's Atlantic City and Caesars Atlantic City are voting to determine whether to authorize a strike against their respective casinos.

Voting by the dealers - represented by the United Auto Workers union - began Friday and continues today. Also voting are slot technicians employed by Caesars.

The UAW declined to make a statement Friday. It planned to release the results of the voting Sunday, a representative said.

Alyce Parker, a spokeswoman for Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which owns Bally's and Caesars, said the casinos are "operationally prepared" for a potential strike.

"We can and we will replace dealers with either temporary or permanent workers, and will make sure that our customers continue to receive exemplary service," Parker said. "While a temporary inconvenience for us, any potential strike will have a much more profound impact on the dealers."

The UAW is trying to help its members win their first-ever contract. Negotiations with Caesars management have been going on for more than a year and a half, while Bally's has declined to bargain and is appealing a federal labor board ruling that it must.

The Detroit-based UAW says it is concerned about employees' wages, job security and medical and pension benefits. Casino management "either stalls progress at the bargaining table or breaks the law by refusing to negotiate," the UAW has said.

But Harrah's says management has not been dragging its feet.

The UAW also represents dealers and slot technicians at Tropicana Casino and Resort. They voted earlier this year to authorize their own strike. No actual strike date was set and workers have been reporting to work as usual. The casino's bargaining committee and the union also have failed to agree on a first-ever contract, although talks are ongoing.

Meanwhile, the UAW is trying to block more than $1 million in incentive bonuses to be paid out to Tropicana's top executives. A motion concerning the bonuses was scheduled in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Camden for Friday but was postponed to Aug. 20.

Über Caesars Atlantic City:

Das Casino gehört zu Caesars Entertainment. Caesars Entertainment Inc. wurde 1937 als Harrah's gegründet und wurde 2010 in Caesars Entertainment umbenannt. Besitzer sind die Investment-Firmen Apollo Global Management, TPG Capital und The Blackstone Group.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Dealers at Caesars, Bally's vote on strike ---


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