Opinion Editorial, The Day, 09/30/07 

by George Taylor

George Taylor is a Dealer at Foxwoods resort Casino, where he has worked for 13 years.

It’s time for change at Foxwoods.  We love our customers, and the chance to be part of a growing industry. But while we’re working as hard as we can to provide a great entertainment experience, we are not being treated with the respect we deserve.

We’ve had enough -- and that’s why we’re forming our own union.  We think it’s time to stop talking about what’s wrong at work and instead take the positive steps to make Foxwoods a better place.

If you haven’t worked in a casino, you might think it’s a pretty easy job -- but it’s not.  Too many of our co-workers have had surgery to correct neck and wrist injuries caused from dealing cards.  We also have deep concerns about the risk from long-term exposure to second-hand smoke and the respiratory problems experienced by so many of our co-workers.  When we come home at the end of our shift, our children ask us why we stink; we know it’s the smoke from the casino.  It’s time we take steps to make Foxwoods a healthier workplace.

At the end of last year, we were so frustrated with management that hundreds of us stayed home on New Year’s Eve. There was a lot of press coverage of our action -- management was forced to react -- so last February, they announced that everyone would get a five percent raise.

Foxwoods management totally failed to deliver on their promise.   Some of us got as little as two pennies an hour, some a tiny bit more.  That just doesn’t cut it for workers in New England who are trying to earn a decent living and support our families.  It’s not the first time management has gone back on its word. This time, the inconsistent and inadequate raises were a real insult.  We contacted the UAW for help in forming our union.  

When you work for a company that makes enormous revenues every year -- and you can literally see the money flying across the gaming tables -- it’s a real slap in the face to have to accept a lower standard of living.  The starting wage for dealers is about $4.50 an hour -- tips make up most of our income.  All the more reason Foxwoods can afford to give us a decent raise.

To make matters worse, Foxwoods keeps cutting back on our health care.  We started with pretty good coverage, but now it’s hard to find a doctor that will take the plan.  We know that a lot of workers in other industries have faced the same problem, especially in industries where profits are down.  But, we think an employer with enormous profits, paying so little in labor costs should provide the best possible health care for its employees.

Earlier this month we got a memo telling us our health plan is going to change.

We’re tired of management making changes whenever they want.  Instead of having to live with their memos, we’re forming our union so management will have to sit down with us and negotiate about issues that are important to us.

Since we started our organizing drive, it’s been really exciting to see people change from feeling frustrated to feeling empowered. 

Foxwoods management says we ought to give them another chance to work on our problems without a union.  Our response:  Been there, done that.  And we’re not buying it.

After all, Foxwoods executives have negotiated employment contracts to protect their interests and families.  Their contracts specify generous salaries, including in some cases a percentage of profits, excellent benefits, what will happen in case of a dispute, and so on.  Since Foxwoods executives have employment contracts, freely negotiated by two parties, we believe workers at our casino should have the same opportunity. 

We’ve talked to dealers and other casino workers in Detroit, Atlantic City and Newport who have already formed their own unions as part of the UAW.  We like what we hear.  Their casinos are successful, and labor and management are working together to solve problems. UAW members have a great track record of winning strong contracts and helping workers stand up for their rights, in casinos and in other industries. 

Management at Foxwoods is talking about all the terrible things that will happen if we form our union, which is pretty typical. Employers don’t like it when workers join together.  Foxwoods is going to try every trick in the book to stop us.

But we’re not going to stop organizing, because we know the real deal. Collective bargaining works -- and works well -- in the casino industry.  We’re excited about having the opportunity to make it work at Foxwoods.