Detroit casino union urges patrons to stay away from iGaming during strike
Casino employees in Detroit are urging guests not to use mobile betting platforms at casinos that have been on strike for a month.
The Detroit Casino Council, a union coalition representing casino workers, has called for a public boycott of four sports betting and online casino platforms. All are linked to three casinos where workers are protesting.
The union said customers should avoid FanDuel, which is affiliated with MotorCity Casino, the upcoming ESPN Bet and Hollywood iCasino, both affiliated with the Hollywood Casino in Greektown, and BetMGM, the online outpost of the MGM Grand in Detroit .
Starting on Monday, the commission will launch a digital advertising campaign targeting users of the three platforms, encouraging them to play elsewhere until the strike is resolved. The move, which extends the picket lines into cyberspace, is intended to inform online bettors who may not be aware that casino workers have been on strike since mid-October.
UNITE HERE Local 24 President Nia Winston said in a statement Friday that these online platforms represent "an important source of revenue for the companies that operate Detroit's three casinos."
Workers have been away from their physical workplaces 24 hours a day since going on strike three weeks ago to enforce fair contracts," Winston said."Now they are asking the public not to cross virtual picket lines and boycott these apps, until the strike is resolved. "
The union does not target other iGaming platforms such as Caesars Sportsbook, Caesars Palace Online Casino, WynnBET, DraftKings, Sports Illustrated Sportsbook, and others.
Negotiations in progress
About 3,700 casino employees in Detroit have been on strike since contracts at the MGM Grand, Motor City Casino Hotel and Greektown Hollywood Casino expired on Oct. 17. They are represented by unions including the United Auto Workers, Teamsters Local 1038, UNITE HERE Local 24, Operating Engineers Local 324 and the Michigan Regional Carpenters Council, which negotiated under the auspices of the Detroit Casino Commission.
Workers said they agreed to concessions when signing contracts through 2020 to help casinos survive the pandemic and related economic downturn. Casinos have also reduced overall employment during the pandemic, leaving remaining workers with a heavier workload, according to the union. Now that the situation has improved, they say they should compensate the victim. The unions demand, among other things, better health care, job security and pension benefits.
The two sides continue to negotiate, but differences remain. Earlier this month, the casino company proposed cutting health insurance premiums from $60 to $40 and increasing hourly wages by $1.95. The union wants health insurance premiums dropped to zero and wages increased by $3.25 an hour.
Avoid Las Vegas Attack
With strikes recently resolved, unions in Detroit are flexing their muscles as workers gain power across the economy, including in the auto industry and the Hollywood entertainment industry.
Las Vegas hotel workers are preparing to go on strike this week at the gaming industry. However, this move was blocked after an agreement was reached with major casino operators.
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Source: www.casino.org
