Union Pushing For Referendums To Improve Casino Workers' Rights
By David Madden
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ (CBS) - Atlantic City's largest union is seeking to put a pair of referendums on the ballot that would appear to target the city's newest casino.
Local 54 of Unite-HERE presented petitions to the city clerk this week that they hope will put a stop to Revel's basic employment plan for a majority of staffers there.
"That does away with this notion of signing off for a four year hitch and then having to re-apply after four years," says Union President Bob McDevitt. "You would have to be terminated if it was just cause."
The other calls for supplemental benefits, like allowances for child care and commuting.
"Since the government of Atlantic City and the state really don't care about lifting people out of poverty in Atlantic City, then it falls on the shoulders of organizations like Local 54."
It should be noted here that Local 54 is trying to unionize Revel workers and the company contends in a statement that the referendums have more to do with that than improving a worker's quality of life. As for the job term limits, Revel has maintained they're needed in the name of customer service.
