NEW JERSEY Atlantic City casinos reach tentative deal with union

Workers are to receive increases in pay and pension contributions.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Thousands of striking casino-hotel workers have reached a tentative contract agreement that signals an end to a bitter, month-old walkout -- the longest in Atlantic City casino history.
The union representing about 10,000 striking bartenders, cocktail servers, housekeepers and other service employees approved the five-year deal late Monday. It calls for significant gains in wages and benefits and guards against the casinos' practice of leasing space to nonunion restaurants and bars.
A vote by members of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union was planned for Wednesday. Workers could be back on the job as early as Thursday, according to union officials.
The union went on strike Oct. 1 against seven of the city's 12 casinos, turning operations in the 24-hour gambling halls upside down. While revenue figures for the month -- quantifying the amount of lost business -- have yet to be released, the strike was clearly bad for business.
Businesses affected
About 10,000 casino workers -- not including dealers -- walked out at Harrah's Atlantic City, Showboat Casino-Hotel, Resorts Atlantic City, Bally's Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, Tropicana Casino and Resort and the Atlantic City Hilton.
Restaurants closed, highly paid executives went to work making beds, and gamblers were forced to endure noisy picket lines, cuts in housekeeping services and other inconveniences.
The casinos never stopped taking bets, although some gamblers decided to steer clear of the sign-waving pickets who maintained a round-the-clock presence outside.
The main sticking point was the length of the contract. Union officials wanted a three-year deal whose expiration would coincide with contracts of sister unions in Las Vegas, Chicago and elsewhere.
Casino officials objected, fearing coinciding contract expirations would give the unions the power to shut down casinos in Atlantic City, Las Vegas and other jurisdictions.
Provisions
Under the agreement, the union said, members would get:
UA 28.3 percent increase in the total "economic package" over five years, which includes boosts in wages and pension contributions.
UContinuation of fully funded health care, sparing union members from having to contribute to their insurance through payroll deductions.
UProtection of members and their union when a casino changes ownership.