Atlantic City – The United Auto Workers union kicked-off contract negotiations today with Tropicana Casino and Resort, as well as continued contract talks with Caesars Atlantic City, months after workers at the two casinos voted overwhelmingly to unionize.

The casinos met separately at the Atlantic City Convention Center with teams of UAW representatives made up of union officials and casino workers representing the collective bargaining committees.

UAW officials declined to specify details of the negotiations, but said wages, job security, medical benefits and pensions were among the topics concerning the more than 900 dealers and slot technicians at Caesars and the 1,075 dealers and slot technicians at the Tropicana that are now under union representation.

The UAW‘s drive last year was the first successful effort to organize dealers in Atlantic City. Past attempts have failed, including one by the Sports Arena Employees Local 137, which convinced Bally’s Atlantic City dealers in 1982 to vote for representation, although a contract was never signed.

While the negotiations took place indoors, about 50 union representatives and workers from Caesars, Tropicana, along with Bally’s and Trump Plaza, rallied in support of a contract.
„Dealers united will never be defeated,“ they chanted.

The UAW is also representing dealers from Bally’s and Trump Plaza, although their contract negotiations have been tied up since the casinos filed objections against the union with the National Labor Relations Board.

Efforts to organize workers at the Atlantic City Hilton and Trump Marina Hotel Casino by the UAW were unsuccessful last year.