Casino union prepares for potential strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.reviewonline.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=13002

By EMILY SCOTT ([e-mail])

CHESTER — More than 200 video lottery employees at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort could go on strike Saturday.

Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 23 voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to reject Mountaineer’s final contract offer and authorize the strike.

Kevin Kilroy, UFCW Local 23 director of public affairs, said the workers have been covered by an extension since March 1, the contract expiration date. After the vote, however, a 72-hour notice of termination for that extension was sent out, meaning that if an agreement is not reached, the strike will go into effect at 12:01 am Saturday.

“Membership is very upset,” said Kilroy. “The wage offer was substandard, in some cases substantially.”

Kilroy said that the wage offer was not comparable to the wages earned by employees at other local establishments, including Wheeling Island Racetrack. Depending on employee classification, Kilroy said that some workers at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, PA, which is owned by a sister company of Mountaineer, already make more, even though that facility has only been open about a year.

Kilroy added that some of their members are earning wages that qualify them for food stamps, school lunch programs, energy assistance, and the children’s health insurance program. “Instead of the good paying jobs we were all promised, it’s actually a drain on the taxes,” Kilroy said.

FULL story at link.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Whew.... thank gawd, I thought I was going to read

"against Iran" in the message box. Almost had to reach for the nitro... heh. :)

Moth below, we truly are so very far ahead of mother nature, consider the stealth fighters....