Casinos in Detroit Continue to Operate Despite Workers' Strike
Detroit's three casinos have remained open despite the ongoing strike by thousands of workers who entered their second week of walkouts last Tuesday. These employees, numbering around 3,700, perform various roles from cleaning to serving food and dealing cards.
MotorCity Casino Hotel, MGM Grand Detroit, and Hollywood Casino at Greektown are operating under reduced services while still welcoming visitors. Services like high-limit table games, first-floor slots, and the poker room have been cut at MotorCity. The hotel has also temporarily shut down some restaurants, bars, and the valet area.
MGM Grand Detroit maintains that it intends to keep operating during the strike and avoid inconveniencing its guests. However, it has had to close the casino and hotel valet services due to the strike.
Hollywood Casino at Greektown has closed its valet, and its restaurant hours and beverage service may be limited. The casino operator, too, intends to continue operations.
The casino operators claim to have extended generous offers to the workers, including improved salaries and fewer working hours in some cases.
Unions Reject Proposed Terms
These offers were, however, rejected by the Detroit Casino Council (DCC), an umbrella organization representing the employees. The DCC criticized the offers, which they found inadequate as they included low salaries, heavy workloads, inadequate healthcare protection, and insufficient retirement plans.
"It's never easy to strike, but it's time for these hardworking individuals who keep Detroit's casinos running to receive the fairness they deserve," said Nia Winston, president of Unite Here, Local 24. "The city's biggest casino operators are making more money than ever, and we're ready to stay out on strike until we get what's owed to us."
Terri Sykes, a dealer at MotorCity Casino and president of UAW Local 7777, emphasized the need for better healthcare for its members. She has survived breast cancer twice and criticized the employers for not recognizing the sacrifices made during the pandemic.
These workers were granted a three-year contract extension in 2020, with a 3% raise. Detroit's casino sector banked a record-breaking $2.27 billion in gaming revenue in 2022 and is expected to surpass that record in 2023.
Canadian Casinos Entice US Visitors
In response, Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino, located 2.5 miles from Detroit in Windsor, Canada, is trying to attract visitors from America. The casino's manager of public relations and communications, Susanne Tomkins, said to the Windsor Star, "U.S. visitors have always been an important part of our business, and we welcome them to visit our property, either for the first time or for a return visit, to experience our world-class Caesars brand."
The DCC is a coalition of unions, including Unite Here Local 24, UAW, Teamsters Local 1038, Operating Engineers Local 324, and the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters.
The issue of labor strikes is spreading in the US, with Michigan seeing many United Auto Workers members also on strike. In Las Vegas, the Culinary and Bartenders Union reported that 95% of its members voted to authorize a strike should contract negotiations with casino operators fail to produce a new agreement.
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Source: www.casino.org
