On Tuesday, the United Auto Workers joined a Hard Rock Casino Rockford employee picket line in a show of support as dozens of workers are looking to join the union and are expecting a decision.
Unions Work to Strengthen Their Pay Benefits, Collective Bargaining
The UAW has argued that Hard Rock Casino employees needed a union, and they should be given the green light by the National Labor Relations Board, which was inside the property and debating the matter at the time of the rally.
The current push for unionization comes from sportsbook cashiers, dealers, and other staffers, who are trying to follow in the footsteps of slot attendants who successfully joined Teamsters Local 325 with a 98% approval back in February.
One of the people at the rally, identified as John Mann by WIFR, which did the original reporting, argued that the management had lost sight of its people and viewed them purely as “numbers.”
“Employees are basically numbers to management; they’re not individuals, at least to ones as big as, say, Hard Rock or Stellantis. That’s where unions come in. They keep everything in balance,” he noted, speaking favorably of the idea to create a union that can oversee the employees’ interests and protect them from abrupt managerial decisions.
Local 1268’s Michael Moe said that the union was approached by Hard Rock Casino Rockford employees back in 2024, and everyone has been working together to bring the workforce together and unionize it.
There are benefits to be had by joining the UAW, as this could possibly see holiday benefits and pay boosted. “If they have to work a holiday, they don’t get another penny for it. If they miss the holiday, they get double-charged,” Moe explained, speaking about the immediate benefits union members would enjoy.
The Proceeds of Good Business
Presently, 125 employees may yet join the UAW, strengthen the union, but also get access to better collective bargaining and make actionable changes to the way their workspace is managed.
Mann says it’s all about making the American dream live on by enabling workers to excel and thrive, no matter where in the corporate food chain they are. Unions have a strong incentive to ensure that employees succeed, and that employees have access to the “proceeds of good business.”
“There’s strength in numbers, and the employees have the numbers by far. They have the right to have a voice in the workplace, something that has also been told to us that they don’t feel like they have right now,” man wrapped up, hopeful of a meaningful change.