You see Google Alerts are good for something. I got my daily Google alert email related to MTR Gaming and what do I find but the following articles which report that some of the Mountaineer Casino's employees may very well go out on strike THIS SATURDAY! Read all about it:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5650059.html (oddly enough I found it in the Houston Chronicle.)
http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=24164 (and subsequently found a similar story back in West Virginia.)
According to the articles 206 employees are set to go on strike in protest of "poverty wages." Included in these workers are the cashiers, slot technicians and money room employees, all of which are represented by Local 23 of the United Food & Commercial Workers. I won't requote all of the particulars of dispute (when you can read them in the articles above) but in my estimation I would kind of agree with the workers in this labor dispute. The fact that the wages being paid do seem a bit skimpy is an understatement. Add to it that the same Union Local represents the employees at Wheeling Island, which is the only other casino in the state of West Virginia currently offering table gaming and poker. The wage differences between the two casinos are as much as $2.00 per hour. And according to the article Wheeling employees insurance is paid 100% by the casino. This in a casino less than an hour away. Sorry MTR Gaming, that's going to be a difficult position from which to offer up any legitimate argument! Face it, if Delaware North Companies Inc. (owner of Wheeling Island is doing it and remaining profitable then I think there can be little excuse, that MTR cannot do the same.)
Recall that poker and table gaming only recently came to the Mountain State, and the voters in each of the counties where casino/racetrack establishments existed had to approve it. One of the arguments was that increased revenue for the state and new jobs would be a positive result of passing the initiative. But as the Union Representative Tony Helfer is quoted from the MetroNews article as stating, "...our members qualify for a lot of state assistance benefits and we think it's wrong that the residents of West Virginia should be subsidizing a racetrack." I for one would have to agree, pumping money into the state's coffers via taxes only to suck them right back out to the people employeed by the casino. Well, something just doesn't seem right about that, particularly when both Wheeling Island and Mountaineer Casinos are both boasting such profits and successes directly related to the recent addition of table games.
MTR Gaming, I think you can do better! In fact, I think I'd bet you on it!
Regards,
cheer_dad
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