OUR
FOCUS
Dealers of Caesars Palace,
these are our MAIN ISSUES.
Please everyone, stay
focused on the topics listed below.
The only way to improve
these things are to have an agreement "in writing", which Caesars
Palace fails to do.
Remember, "Policy"
can be changed every day if they so desire. But a binding contract can not!
We know there are many more
things that "bother" us, but these issues are the "heart" of
our Union drive. Below each topic we will describe as briefly as possible what
we currently have and what we can gain through organizing.
JOB SECURITY:
Currently we are ALL
"at-will" employees without a Union contract. This means we can be
fired at any time without any reason. Is this how we want to live? In fear for
our jobs? We are good and loyal employees, yet management is constantly
holding our jobs over our heads. If you are not liked for whatever reason, you
can be "targeted" and fired. How does that feel? Does that make you
"happy" to come to work every day?
Once we vote the Union in,
no longer can they drag us into the office without us having representation
with us. We will have our own witnesses, not just them having there's and us
alone. It is not an unreasonable request to negotiate "progressive
discipline" and negotiating "just cause" for termination/separation/FIRED
into a contract. That is our goal for job security.
When we can walk into the
doors of Caesars Palace and know that all we have to do is to perform our jobs
to keep them, everyone will become much more relaxed and the moral will rise.
No longer will we have to worry if the "boss likes us" or not. With
everyone happier because the added "stress" of "pleasing the
boss" has been taken away, we will be happier on the games, which can
have a direct effect on our tokes.
TOKE SECURITY:
Once upon a time throughout
this Nation, and in the Great State of Nevada, many mothers and fathers raised
their children and sent them to school from the tips they earned at their
jobs. This is now being threatened by the likes of Steve Wynn and corporate
greed. Who would have ever thought they would stoop so low as to actually take
away the tips from an employee to use to supplement another workers salary?
Well, it has happened. Do we want this to happen to us? It very may well if we
do not do something to stop it right now while we have the chance.
It is not unreasonable to
negotiate in our contract that our tokes are not to be distributed to anyone
other than those who have directly earned them. That is the way it has been in
this country for over 200 years. Reflecting on the current Wynn Dealers
situation, it is not unreasonable to have it in writing.
WAGES:
We make about $3-per-hour
LESS than the lowest paid Union worker at Caesars Palace. Why? Because we earn
tips? Doesn't the Waitress earn tips? Doesn't the Bartender earn tips? Doesn't
the Valet earn tips? Doesn't the Cocktail Waitress earn tips? Doesn't the Maid
earn tips?
Just because we earn tips,
why are we alone excluded from a fair wage? Because we are NOT in a Union is
why. It has nothing to do with us being "greedy". Are Bartenders
"greedy"? Are Valet Attendants "greedy"? Are Waitresses
"greedy"? Are Cocktail Waitresses "greedy"? Are Maids
"greedy"? We don't think so. At least they can count on a fair wage
while they are working. Can we? Can we count on our tips to ALWAYS be a
certain amount? No we can't.
It will not be unreasonable
to negotiate a fair wage comparable to other Union workers who work at Caesars
Palace.
BENEFITS:
Many years ago at Caesars
Palace we had no retirement fund of any kind. Then the U.S. Government started
individual IRA's and Keogh Funds. We were allowed to contribute to these funds
and have them be tax-deferred benefits for retirement.
Then 401(k)'s were invented
for retirement. Why does anyone think we have them available to us? Because
upper-management wanted it for themselves. For them to have them, they had to
make them available to all of their workers. It was not out of the kindness of
their hearts that we have them.
Just several short years ago
our 401(k) was better than what it is today. We had a higher company match.
That is now gone. They have already taken away from us. Yes, they gave it to
us in the first place, but it was only so they could have it too.
Health Insurance costs are
rising! So our the profits of Caesars Palace! Have they helped us absorb these
costs as a benefit? Not if we are not in a Union they haven't. Not only have
they passed on the increased costs to us, but they actually profit from our
premiums (Harrah's is self-insured and only use Cigna as an administrator).
Just several years ago we
were paying about half of the premiums we are paying today. In addition, a
doctor's visit was only $5, a prescription was $5 (generic or not) and a
hospital stay was $100. Today, many Dealers report that they have stopped
visiting the doctor because they can't afford it, even with our insurance. Not
only is our insurance the worst it has ever been, but it is the worst in the
industry! At the MGM/Mirage, they pay $88 per month for an PPO plan for a
family.
Talk to the Union employees
who work at Caesars Palace. Ask any culinary member how much they pay for
their health insurance. They pay ZERO DOLLARS. Why? Because they negotiated
that in their Union contract.
It will not be unreasonable
for us to negotiate better health insurance.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
How many times have any of
us had to endure second-hand-smoke on the gaming tables the entire shift? All
of us have.
How many of us have had
problems with backs, shoulders, wrists, knees, ankles, feet and hips? Most of
us have.
How many times have any of
us had to endure abusive situations involving customers, even after repeatedly
speaking to our supervisors about the situation? All of us have.
How many times have any of
us had to work with inferior or broken equipment? All of us have.
It will not be unreasonable
for us to negotiate better working conditions.
The above things are our
most important issues. Yes, there are many other smaller issues that may need
to be contended with, but unless we vote "YES" for the Union NOTHING
WILL CHANGE. It never has. They always act as if they do not know about our
problems when confronted with them. Then if we begin to organize they start
making "promises" that everything will get better. It never has.
We have an opportunity to
make change by voting "YES" for the Union. Caesars Palace has had
the opportunity for over 40 years to "make things better", but
things only have gotten worse. How many years have we tried with a
Union?
Look at all the other
Union employees at Caesars Palace. What do they have? Why do they have it?
Because they are in a Union. How many times have you heard about a benefit a cocktail waitress has and someone responds by saying, "Well, they're
Union is why"?
It must all start
somewhere.
It starts December 22,
2007 when we vote "YES" for the Union!
