Casino Security Guards May Form Union

Paperwork Filed with Casino Control Commission

The 2,000 security guards that stand watch over Atlantic City's 11 casinos could soon form a labor union. These security officers watch over millions of customers and billions of dollars each year, but only receive a modest amount of pay and even less respect. Some officials are hoping a labor union could change all of that.

In less than a month, the United Auto Workers union (UAW) will hold sanctioned elections to determine whether or not the dealers for Caesars Palace will become unionized. The outlook of these elections has energized others to mount a parallel union drive for the casino security officers of Atlantic City.

The International Union of Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America (SPFPA) has announced that it has filed papers with the New Jersey Casino Control Commission to begin a union drive. The purpose of the drive is to obtain enough approval from security officers to hold elections with the National Labor Relations Board.

The National Labor Relations Board typically requires a proposed union to obtain pledge cards from at least 30 percent of the workers to be represented before an official election will be scheduled. The internal policies of the SPFPA, however, are to obtain pledge cards from at least 70 percent of workers.

According to Steve Maritas, a representative of the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, security officers in Atlantic City are unarmed and earn a salary of $10 to $13 per hour. By contrast, security officers that the SPFPA represents at three Detroit casinos earn higher pay and have better benefits than their Atlantic City counterparts.

Past attempts to unionize the city's security guards have failed.

"For some time, several unions have tried to organize Atlantic City, but I believe this time it's going to happen," Maritas said in a recent press statement.