Workers at four casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey's gambling hub, voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if they are not offered what they consider to be a fair contract by the start of the busy July 4 holiday weekend, Reuters reported yesterday. A strike vote could give Unite Here Local 54 bargaining committees more firepower in negotiations over new contracts for the 6,000 cocktail servers, cooks, housekeepers and other hospitality workers. Employees are now working under expired contracts. Ninety-six percent of those who voted cast their ballots in support of the strike authorization. Four of Atlantic City's 12 casinos closed in 2014 and remain shuttered, in part because of gambling competition from neighboring states. Unite Here said workers agreed to wage freezes during the recession, and those with 25 years on the job have had only 80 cents in total raises over the past 12 years. Atlantic City casino revenues increased 2.7 percent to $802.6 million in the first quarter of 2016, according to state data.
