Casino Workers on Strike in Detroit Supported by AFL-CIO President

In mid-October, casino workers from the three casinos in Detroit, Michigan, joined forces for a strike, asking for an increase in their wages and better health care amid the ongoing rise in the cost of living and increasing inflation. Currently, the Detroit Casino Council represents the casino employees including dealers, valets, food and beverage workers, housekeepers and engineers among others. The strike of the 3,700 workers temporarily impacted the amenities available at the three casinos in Detroit.

Now a new report released by Michigan Advance reveals that Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO’s president, showed support for the strike of the casino workers. During an evening rally on Wednesday, she joined the casino employee’s strike explaining that thanks to them, casinos have gone through the pandemic. Shuler outlined that while Detroit casino owners enjoy record profits, they neglect their employees. “It’s time for Detroit casinos to quit gambling with their workers’ livelihoods,” said AFL-CIO’s president.

Shuler said that the moment has come for the casino industry in Detroit to pay its workers “a living wage, to provide health care that allows workers to care for themselves and their families and to guarantee the job security their employees have earned.” She said that the AFL-CIO supports the efforts of the Detroit Casino Council and the unions it represents in the fight for a contract that is fair for the casino employees.

The casino employees’ strike in Detroit comes after recently, auto workers have also protested, asking for better working conditions and pay. Detroit isn’t the only city where casino workers asked for an increase in wages and work-related benefits. For a month, tensions have been high in Las Vegas over threats of a strike by casino employees. After intense negotiations, casino workers reached a deal with Caesars earlier this month.

Amid Strikes, Detroit’s Casinos Post Decrease in Revenue

The month-long strike of casino employees in Detroit impacted the revenue of the three casinos in the city. The strike of the 3,700 employees affected the amenities at MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino, and Hollywood Casino, resulting in a drop in revenue, according to data released by the gambling regulator in the state, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB).

A report outlining the performance of the three casinos in October released by the MGCB revealed that the revenue reported by the three casinos decreased by 18% when compared to September. The three casinos posted total revenue of $82.8 million.

The biggest decrease in revenue month-over-month was reported by MotorCity, down by 22.8% to $25 million. Similarly, MGM posted a revenue decrease of 19.6% to $37.3 million in October compared to September. Last but not least, Hollywood Casinos’ revenue dipped by 11.7% month-over-month to $19.4 million.