Gaming dealers in Las Vegas, and for that matter, statewide, have always had legitimate reasons to harbor resentment against their employers. Chief among them was, and still is, job security. To be at the mercy of a management team who has no interest in your welfare, much less your survival is not a good place to be.

            Of course, there are many other issues, most dealers would agree, that set them apart from almost any other worker in the American work force. In terms of workplace rights, wages and benefits, dealers are at the bottom of the heap. They reside in a pre-fair deal workplace with no way out. Arbitrary firings, frozen wages, zero sick time, workman’s comp denials; the list goes on.

            But all this was never enough for the dealers to gather together the steam and the gumption needed to organize themselves into a union which could speak and fight for them.

            Many Americans have sought the protection of unions. Teachers, firemen, policemen, state and federal workers and so many other groups have organized, but casino workers never took the step.

            Now, thanks to Steve Wynn, the dealers finally have the one issue that could turn the trick.

            TAKING OUR TOKES!

            Attack our income, steal our tokes and now we have a battle cry that will bind us together and give us the rock-solid motivation we need to create a union of our own. One that will do battle with the wizards of the backroom deal, the manipulators of law makers and judges, the iron hands of the casino pit, our oppressors.

            But Wynn and Pascal were not the first to attempt to hijack dealer’s tokes. On July 19, 1999 the International Union of Gaming Employees (IUGE) sent a letter to Brian McMullan, the then president and CEO of the Resort at Summerlin. In it we declared our opposition to their newly adopted policy of taking dealer’s tokes to benefit casino floor people. We quoted three court cases each of which stated that the employer may not use or retain tip money for his own benefit. Within days the executives responsible for the policy were let go and the policy abandoned. Here we are seven years later and again facing the same issue.

By the way, the Wynn dealers, Daniel Baldonado and Joseph Cesarz, who are organizing a legal challenge to Mr. Wynn’s and Mr. Pascal’s money grab, deserve hero status in the dealer’s hall of fame. It takes guts to stand up to Wynn and his crew, and they should be applauded.

            We know Steve Wynn has a reputation as a good employer. One can only wonder whether Wynn president Andrew Pascal, in his desire to enhance his bottom line and improve shareholder loyalty has made a fatal error in adopting this flawed policy.

            But now it is time that we ask all dealers to face the Wynn resort and genuflect to Steve Wynn and Andrew Pascal and thank them for finally giving us an issue that cannot be ignored, a fight that cannot be avoided, and a war that cannot be lost.

            Now that the door has been opened and the vultures have whet their appetites for our money, the time is upon us to do what we all know must be done.

            Dealer’s Union, do not be afraid. Dealer’s Union, we stand together. Dealer’s Union, finally!

Tony Badillo
            Jack Lipsman
            Las Vegas

Tony Badillo, President and Jack Lipsman, Vice President direct the International Union of Gaming Employees, based in Las Vegas.

<www.iuge.net>

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