UPDATED: 7/2/22, 4:10 p.m.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — 1,500 Hard Rock Casino Workers in Atlantic City reached a tentative agreement Saturday, avoiding a strike.
The union’s worker negotiating committee at the property have approved the agreement and will set a date for a ratification vote from the entire membership soon.
Seven of the nine casinos in Atlantic City now have agreements in place with the union Local 54.
Golden Nugget and Resorts have yet to reach new agreements.
ORIGINAL STORY FOLLOWS:
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — A late-night agreement Thursday means there won’t be any work stoppage at four casinos in Atlantic City. Negotiations continue between the Hard Rock Casino and union employees, and they will strike on Sunday if there’s no deal.
This contract was signed in the 11th hour, just before workers were to go on strike. Now, the contract with Unite Here Local 54 brings workers at Borgata, Caesars, Harrah’s, and The Tropicana their biggest raise ever.
“I feel super excited, overwhelmed, happy,” said Ronnette Lark, a housekeeper and mother of two. She says this raise means more trips to the movies and more financial security, it’s a day for workers to celebrate.
“Everybody is just like ‘Oh, we did it! Thank you!’ Everybody is super excited,” Lark said. “Everybody just wants to work now. This is the best time for our raise, summertime, tourists are coming in.”
Over at the Hard Rock Casino, negotiating continues with a Sunday strike looming. VIP bottle server Yolanda McGlone says they just want the same deal the other casinos made.
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“It’s been a little contentious back and forth, so we’re not even close,” McGlone said. “We have not made any leeway as of yet.”
She thinks it’s about a 50-50 chance a deal is reached by the deadline Sunday. Representatives from Hard Rock could not be reached.
The approved contract for the four casinos doesn’t take effect until the union members review and ratify the deal. Details of the agreement were not made public.
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Ocean Resort Casino and Bally’s have both agreed to accept the terms negotiated in the deal made with Local 54.
News of the accepted contract was also celebrated by Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small.
“I am happy to see that both parties came to an agreement and the casino employees are satisfied with the outcome,” Small said. “We hope now everyone will be able to enjoy their summer in Atlantic City.”