Workers at the Suncoast Casino in Durban, South Africa, have lifted their 30 day strike before the holiday season in this part of tropical Africa on the Indian Ocean. The workers in Atlantic City, U.S.A., are resuming negotiations to end their strike that has so far lasted 10 days.

As in other industries, casino workers with grievances have only withdrawal of labour as a bargaining tool in a liberal economy that has seen the power of the unions decline over the last twenty years. The strikes in South Africa and the USA clearly demonstrate the fact that there are four partners in the modern casino business: investors, operators, the State and the workers.

Naturally strikes nearly always result when wage talks break down. This was the case at the Suncoast where workers were asking for an annual increase of 9% and the company was offering 6.8%. Eventually agreement was reached at 9.3% over two years and the casino re-opened its doors to around 21,000 daily visitors. The Suncoast Casino is part of the group Tsogo Sun who have four other casinos in the country, including the impressive Montecasino in Johannesburg.

The strike in Atlantic City is affecting seven casinos, including Harrah's, Caesars and the Tropicano. It has been caused over the terms of a new working contract that covers items such as health and vacation benefits. Unions at the casinos are combining to co-ordinate negotiations and a meeting has been called for October 15. However, three of the unions have yet to reply.

Meanwhile, the casino clients continue to eat off paper plates as the problems persist. The casinos unaffected by the strike - Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Sands Hotel & Casino and the three Trump properties - are benefitting from the trouble-free service they can offer their customers.

One always wonders about the obstinancy of both sides when, such as at the Suncoast Casino, it takes 30 days to arrive at a Solomon compromise. Or if they are digging their own graves in Atlantic City as it will not be easy to reclaim the clients who have taken their custom elsewhere.

Hopefully, the strike in Atlantic City will not continue and become a complete stoppage.


© Copyright 2004 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage