Casino workers at Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis have successfully unionized, joining the Teamsters Local 135. This marks a significant victory for the pro-unionization workers and comes after several weeks of delays.
The Casino Workers Secured Teamsters Local 135 Representation
Originally, the casino’s 200 workers were scheduled to vote on joining the Teamsters on October 17. However, the Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis workers’ unionization efforts ended up being set back by the record 43-day USA government shutdown. Since the property’s operator, Caesars Entertainment, didn’t wish to allow a third-party auditor to handle the union vote, casino workers at the Shelbyville property went on a strike, pressuring Caesars to recognize the union.
The whole situation eventually prompted the intervention of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which tallied the vote. As it turned out, the majority of votes were in favor of joining the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Teamsters Local 135 vowed to fight for better paychecks, tip pooling, and security for its new members. For context, Teamsters Local 135 unites some 12,000 casino, construction, freight, warehousing, and airline employees.
Workers Were Displeased with Caesars’ Pushback
Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis workers were overjoyed by the development, with Dakota Massman, a table games dealer at the property, saying that the strike served as a reminder of how much power workers can have. Massman was displeased with Caesars’ apparent attempt to stop its employees from joining the union, but was ultimately happy that the gambling giant lost the battle.
Dustin Roach, Local 135’s president, was similarly critical of the way Caesars Entertainment handled the process. He praised the workers’ fighting spirit and vowed to bring the same passion to bargaining for Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis workers’ first contract.
Tommy Blitsch, director of the Teamsters Convention, Trade Show, and Casino Division, said that the Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis employees’ perseverance has been nothing short of inspiring.
He added: “Our union made it clear to Horseshoe from the start that there was only one way this strike was ending, and that’s with Teamsters representation.”