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CAESARS' BARGAINING UPDATE APRIL 6, 2009
We met with the Company on April 1st, 2nd and 3rd to discuss Merit
Increases and 401(k) Match. April 1st was with the Slot Techs and April
2nd and 3rd with the Dealers/Keno Simulcast. The Company proposal for
Slot Techs to change Merit Increases and stop the 401(k) Match would
save over $49,000 per year. The Dealers/Keno Simulcast proposal would
save over $791,000 per year. In these sessions we gave the Company
proposals to save all $840,000 per year with the following provisions:1. No Employees of Caesars' Atlantic City or Employees responsible for Caesars' operations would receive any money awards or bonus payments during the time Agreements are in place. 2. No Management Employees and above would receive pay increases during the time Agreements are in place. 3. If the gaming receipts for a period of three (3) months matched or exceeded the three (3) months in the previous year the 401 (k) match would resume at 100% and the merit increases would be restored to 100%. The Company rejected the $840,000 annual savings proposed by the Union with the following comments: 1. If they need or want to pay bonuses they want the right to do that as they see fit. 2. They want no restriction on raising a Manager's pay even if we agree to concessions. 3. If the business comes back strong they do not want to be required to restore Merit Increases and 401(k) match. They may want to put the profits into the properties however they want. On April 3, 2009 the Company informed us they are going to stop the 401(k) match effective immediately. They said they are not going to pay anymore and will not listen to anymore proposals in the Dealer/Keno Simulcast Bargaining Unit regarding the 401(k). Tentatively, the Slot Tech Bargaining Committee is going to meet on these issues on April 8, 2009. We are scheduled for Main Table Bargaining with Dealers/Keno Simulcast on April 23rd & 24th and Slot Techs on April 16th. |
UAW/CAESARS' BARGAINING UPDATE APRIL 15,
2009
Dear Union Brothers & Sisters at Caesars:We have been in negotiations with the Company over the 401 (k) and merit increases. We reported earlier that the Company cut off the 401 (k) match and refused to bargain with us any further on this issue for the Dealers, Keno-Simulcast. For the record, our proposals agree to suspend 401 (k) match and revise merit increases to save 100% of what the Company said they needed. On April 13, 2009 the lawyers sent us a letter informing the Union they are stopping the 401 (k) match and implementing their new formula for merit increases and bonus payments for Slot Technicians. We informed the Company we needed additional time in order to explore and present new proposals. Our proposals saved the Company all the money they say they needed. The Company has refused to bargain these issues any further with the Slot Technicians Unit. Our Slot Tech proposals economically changed the 401 (k) and merit increases exactly as the Company proposed. We also proposed if business returns or bonus payments are made to any management or executive at Caesars' we would revert back to 401 (k) match and merit increases. The Company rejected this and said they will spend the money however they want! We have filed four (4) Unfair Labor Practice Charges at Bally's for refusing to bargain Healthcare, Permanent Days Off, 401 (k) and Merit Increases. We will report after our next bargaining sessions. In Solidarity, Your UA W Caesars' Bargaining Committee "EVERYONE LOSES WHEN WORKERS ARE TREATED
UNFAIRLY"
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| For immediate release: January
22, 2009 UAW dealers file charges over labor law
violations at Tropicana
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ. - The UAW announced today that casino workers at
Tropicana have filed unfair labor practice charges with the National
Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the temporary management of the
casino. In violation of federal labor law, the casino's temporary
managers have announced substantial increases to employee health care
costs before negotiating with the union.The proposed changes include a 50 percent increase in premiums and diminished benefit levels. For dealers with families, the increased premiums will cost at least an additional $1,300 per year. "I am concerned that many dealers will think twice before purchasing health care for themselves or their families, leaving them vulnerable for the costs of a catastrophic illness," said Ernestine Dawkins, a dealer representing UAW workers. "The purpose of negotiations is to figure out what is fair, but both sides have to play by the rules and management can't act unilaterally," said Joe Ashton, director of UAW Region 9, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania and western New York. Federal labor law prevents an employer from making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment once workers have elected to form a union. Full- and part-time dealers, dual-rate workers and simulcast workers at Tropicana voted to become part of the UAW in August 2007. Slot techs at Tropicana voted in their union in September 2007. In addition to the unilateral changes in healthcare, layoffs of dealers and slot techs have been announced. "Workers are very concerned with the loss of their jobs and those of their co-workers," said Al Welenc, a dealer and a UAW bargaining team member. "This is difficult to swallow in view of the compensation and benefits that are being paid to those running the casino." Former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Gary Stein, who is appointed as the conservator of the casino, is being compensated at a rate of $650 per hour plus exp"No rational basis has been provided for proposed layoffs," said Ashton. "For example, the layoff of the slot technicians, despite their continued consistent workload, is irresponsible, while no significant cost savings has been demonstrated by the layoff of dealers." "This is another example of why we need the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) passed as soon as possible," said UAW Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Bunn, who directs the union's Technical, Office and Professional Department. "Tropicana workers voted in their union by an overwhelming majority, but over 15 months have passed with no agreement. Instead of negotiating fairly, management has chosen to ignore current labor law which has little consequence for employers." The EFCA, which is supported by President Obama and a majority of both houses of Congress, allows workers to seek arbitration for first contracts if an agreement cannot be reached within four months after they elect to form a union and begin bargaining with their employer. Including workers at Tropicana, six groups of workers at four Atlantic City casinos voted in favor of UAW representation in 2007, in addition to workers at Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind., and Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn. The UAW is one of the nation's most diverse labor unions with more than one million active and retired members, including 8,800 casino workers in Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey and Rhode Island. enses. Phone 313-926-5291 Fax 313-331-1520 www.uaw.org Public Relations and Publications Department 8000 E. Jefferson Ave. Detroit, Ml 48214 |
For immediate release: January
27, 2009 UAW Slot Technicians Vote to Authorize Strike at Tropicana Casino ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - The UAW announced today that slot technicians at Tropicana Resort and Casino in Atlantic City voted to authorize a strike by a 91% margin. The vote comes after a year of bargaining and numerous unfair labor practice charges filed by the Union against Tropicana management. "We hope Justice Stein and the New Jersey Casino Control Commission understands how serious this situation is," said Larry Diehlman, a Tropicana slot technician and member of the bargaining committee? "It's time to stop violating federal labor law and come to the table ready to bargain. We want what all workers want -- fair treatment, decent wages, quality health care and dignity and respect in the workplace." Slot technicians play a critical role in casino operations and a strike would be highly disruptive. Dealers and other gaming workers at Tropicana who are also in bargaining are considering their next steps. If the Union and Management are unable to come to an agreement and a strike is called it would be considered an Unfair Labor Practice Strike, which prevents an employer from permanently replacing workers. Once the strike is settled, workers would go back to their jobs. "The UAW, and the thousands of members of our union in New Jersey, stand with the Tropicana slot technicians all the way," said Joe Ashton, Director of UAW Region 9, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and western New York. Including workers at Tropicana, six groups of workers at four Atlantic City casinos voted in favor of UAW representation in 2007, in addition to workers at Casino Aztar in Evansville, Ind., and Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, Conn. The UAW is one of the nation's most diverse labor unions with more than one million active and retired members, including more than 8,800 casino workers in Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey and Rhode Island. |
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