Atlantic City, New Jersey — Dealers at the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort have narrowly rejected a bid to unionize.

The dealers voted 316-268 Saturday against joining the United Auto Workers, according to casino and union representatives.

„The Atlantic City Hilton respects the informed decision made by our dealers and hopes the UAW will do likewise,“ Tony Rodio, President of the Atlantic City Hilton Casino Resort, said in a statement issued early Sunday. „We appreciate the vote of confidence that our dealers have made.“

The Hilton vote came amid a drive to unionize all 11 of the city’s casinos. So far, workers at five Atlantic City casinos have either voted to join the union or asked for an election to determine whether to do so.

In March, dealers at Caesars Atlantic City and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino voted overwhelmingly to unionize. And the UAW has filed an objection with the National Labor Relations Board over a vote in which dealers at the Trump Marina Hotel Casino narrowly rejected a bid to unionize earlier this month.

The next vote is scheduled for June 2, when workers at Bally’s Atlantic City will make their decision, and union officials vowed to press on with their organizing efforts at the casinos.

„We’ve got another vote scheduled at Bally’s next week, and we’re going full steam ahead,“ said Joe Ashton, director of UAW Region 9, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Western New York, said in a statement issued early Sunday.

„Casino management hopes their campaign of name-calling and personal attacks will convince workers to give up, but that’s not going to happen,“ Ashton added. „Casino workers are standing up for their rights, and we’re proud to support them every step of the way.“