Summary
- The rally took place in front of the casino.
- Employees want a raise, holiday pay, and additional changes to their contract.
- Bargaining with Caesars Entertainment has stalled.
After the union contract with Caesars Entertainment expired in October, union workers of the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore got to work negotiating a new contract.
Talks have stalled and employees are now rallying to see changes made and a new contract in place. Workers of the casino hosted a demonstration yesterday at the casino to try and get the owner to act. Employees would like pay raises, holiday pay, and additional incentives.
Align with Other Hospitality Companies in Baltimore
Employees of the Horseshoe want to see the casino act in accordance with other hospitality companies in Baltimore that have unions. Employees have stated that with inflation, everyone is struggling to get by. If inflation can be adjusted, then so should the pay of employees.
Horseshoe casino pays its non-tipped employees $14.67 an hour. This amount has not been raised since October 2021. Employees want to see an increase in this amount to around $18-$22 an hour. They also want to see holiday pay added to their contract as they do not receive extra compensation for working on a holiday.
Revenues Have Increased for the Casino
The union argues that the Maryland casino has been able to recover since being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The casino earned just over $145 million in 2020 which increased to $209.4 million in 2021. In 2022, the company earned $209.9 million in revenues.
There has been a steady increase for the casino each year but employees have not reaped the benefits. In the most recent quarter, the casino was able to generate over $1.5 billion in revenues from casinos located outside of Las Vegas, in other states. It was the strongest ever quarter for the company.
The Horseshoe Casino Baltimore continues to lag behind other hotel and hospitality companies in Baltimore when it comes to union contract items. The hospitality industry is the third largest employer in Baltimore and an important factor in revitalizing the city by way of jobs.
Employees want to see the changes added to their contracts so they can survive inflation and move forward in the future years with the company. According to individuals close to the negotiations, Caesars has offered to increase wages in the first year, but only by $0.25 an hour each year for four years for tipped employees. The amount is up to $0.40 for non-tipped employees.
Caesars has yet to respond to the actions of the union but we expect a statement at any time.
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