Critical Thought Critique: February 2020

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Sunday, February 16, 2020

UNITE LOCAL 23 GEARS UP FOR CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS

(by Jason Jones)

2020 will be the year about 8,000 casino workers across the country will be in contract negotiations with the casino behemoths, Caesars Entertainment and Eldorado Resorts. Betty Marion, 58, has worked at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel & Casino for 16 years. Earning $13.79 per hour after all that time, she had to declare bankruptcy and could not afford her house in Sellersburg. Betty spoke very matter-of-factly to Peoples World in that accent native to Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky. Not quite Southern, not quite Midwestern but with a definite twang that reminds you she comes from an area of the country where people are not afraid to fight injustice. “That aggravated the tar out of me” Betty went to describe how the low pay and high insurance deductible had her “choosing between food or rent.” She has even had to take on a roommate to share costs. Betty works the wardrobe department and is a member of UNITE Local 23. Betty signed up about one year ago to be a part of the organizing and bargaining committees. She shared that this time; she is getting engaged in the fight for a good contract and respect on the job.

New Albany lies on the Indiana side of the Ohio River across from Louisville, KY. One of the first casinos in Indiana, it has changed hands several times. Currently, the casino is owned by Eldorado Resorts after their merger with Caesars Entertainment. Eldorado is known for its union busting. Caesars CEO, Tony Rodio, is probably best known for shutting down Donald Trump’s Taj Mahal casino in 2016 resulting in the loss of nearly 3,000 jobs almost overnight.

Betty knows the national campaign being waged this year has high stakes for her. But she knows there is strength in numbers.

Taylor Cox, 29, works at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino in Shelbyville, IN. Shelbyville is a rural Indiana Town about 30 minutes east of Indianapolis. Taylor is a bartender and has worked there for about two years. Taylor also stressed the importance of having control over his health insurance and wages that keep up with the cost of living. Taylor described his coworkers at the casino as people with families, from all parts of central Indiana, and ages from early adulthood to nearing retirement. Taylor underscored the importance of having a say in his workplace especially when it comes to scheduling. He shared that there is a high turnover rate among employees due to work scheduling not being flexible especially when workers have children to care for.

The union also recognizes the threats of automation. UNITE is working to ensure protections for retraining and ensuring those workers will have employment lined up before they are laid off. Along with good wages, health care, respect for seniority, the union is fighting for protections against sexual harassment. Taylor described the environment in the casino as one where women workers have to be on guard against management and customers alike. For all these reasons, Taylor underscored the importance of the next few months as nation-wide contract negotiations take place. He also shared the importance of community support. He, along with his coworkers, will lead a delegation to management on March 12^th at 3:00pm as part of the struggle for a better contract.

Eric Brooks, community co-chair of Indianapolis, IN based Central Indiana Jobs with Justice said, “We stand with organized labor and community organizations struggling to meet the need for quality, affordable health care for working families. We are actively committed to building labor and community support for all struggles by working people and allies to better workers’ lives.” Central Indiana Jobs with Justice anticipates supporting the delegation as well as all future actions in support of Caesars workers.