Detroit casino workers at the edge of labour strike over contract negotiations, ultimatum day set for Monday night

Employees from Detroit's three major casinos, MGM Grand Detroit, Hollywood at Greek Town, and Motor City Casino, are on the brink of a labor strike. The workers are ready to walk out of their jobs unless a satisfactory deal with the casinos is reached by late Monday night.

Shataya Thompson, a valet cashier with 14 years of service at Motor City Casino, voiced her concerns about the negotiations. She highlighted the importance of maintaining healthcare benefits, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“During the pandemic, my son was in the NICU for 203 days so for them to try and take away my healthcare or even make me pay even more into my healthcare is unbelievable,” Thompson said.

The Detroit Casino Council represents around 3,700 casino workers affiliated with five different unions in the three casinos. Should an agreement not be reached by 11:59 p.m. Monday night, employees will commence a strike, affecting casino operations at all three venues.

Terri Sykes, a dealer at Motor City Casino, expressed her reservations regarding the ongoing negotiations. In addition to healthcare, workers are also advocating for higher wages and an increase in their 401(k) contributions.

“We just want to be appreciated and share some of that wealth… we helped you get it, we went through COVID with you guys, so pay us back a little bit,” Sykes stated.

While the unions are prepared to strike if necessary, there has been no official response from the other two casinos, MGM Grand Detroit and Hollywood at Greek Town. A Motor City Casino spokesperson issued a statement expressing the casino's commitment to ongoing dialogue and respect for the negotiation process.

"We are committed to continuing our dialogue with union leadership and member representatives. We respect the negotiation process and recognize that we are all committed to a contract that is fair to our employees and allows our company to remain competitive in our industry," the statement read.

Union leaders will reconvene at the negotiation table with the three casinos at 10 a.m. on Monday to address the pressing concerns and avoid the impending strike.

The Detroit Casino Council (DCC), the negotiating committee representing workers at Detroit's three casinos, MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood at Greektown, announced that union members are scheduled to vote on a potential strike authorization, WXYZ reported in September.

“As more UAW autoworkers join picket lines, another group of workers from the Motor City is taking the first step towards potential strikes. On Friday, the workers who staff the majority of the operations at Detroit’s three casinos—including the slots and table games on the gaming floors as well as restaurants, bars, retail outlets, hotels, cleaning, maintenance, and more—are holding a vote that, if passed, could pave the way for potential strikes at the casinos,” DCC said, as cited in the report.