Bally’s Signs Agreement with IUOE
Major casino and sportsbook provider Bally’s Corporation announced that it has entered into a labor neutrality agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) for its Tropicana Las Vegas retail property. The IUOE stands as the 10th largest union in the AFL-CIO conglomerate, with 400,000 active members in 123 local unions in the United States and Canada.
Bally’s Corporation has revealed that it has stepped into a labor neutrality agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) concerning its Tropicana Las Vegas retail property. ©YS-Park/Pixabay
Chairman of the Board Calls Bally’s Employees the Company’s Most Valuable Asset
The highly prominent retail casino and sportsbook operator Bally’s Corporation announced recently that it has stepped into a labor neutrality agreement with the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) relating to its Tropicana Las Vegas location. For those not yet aware, the IUOE is the 10th largest union within the AFL-CIO conglomerate, boasting roughly 400,000 active members in 123 local unions throughout both the United States and Canada.
In terms of the details of the agreement, both parties will adopt a neutral approach to organizing campaigns, which the casino operator specified “will enable every Tropicana Las Vegas employee to make an informed decision regarding their union representation.”
Soo Kim, Chairman of the Board of Bally’s, went on to claim that the operator’s employees are its most vital asset, making reference to the company’s strong track record of fostering strong working relationships with organized labor in the United States:
“Bally’s employees are our most valuable asset, and we have worked hard to ensure that they maintain an unimpeded right to select their representation. We have an established track record of building positive relationships with organized labor and look forward to continuing to foster our relationship with IUOE.”– Soo Kim, Chairman, Bally’s Corporation, Press Release
Bally’s Sees IUOE Agreement as Yet Another Instance of Its Commitment to Labor and Unions
Meanwhile, for its part, Jose Soto, Organizing Director of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 501, also made reference to Bally’s commitment to organized labor, citing it as one of the key reasons the union has built such a strong relationship with the provider:
“Bally’s and IUOE are aligned in our efforts to advance employee representation locally and at the national level. As a result of the commitment and integrity demonstrated by Mr. Kim and his team, we’ve developed a strong relationship with Bally’s that we are confident will benefit the company’s workforce for many years to come.”– Jose Soto, Organizing Director, International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Press Release
Bally’s naturally positioned its deal with IUOE as but another instance of its proven support for its employees and labor unions. Backing up this claim is the recent news, in October 2022, of Bally’s entering into a Multi-Project Labor Agreement with the Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council, and the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department in order to secure the construction of its flagship Bally’s Chicago casino complex.
Bally’s Struck Deal with Chicago Unions in October 2022
As already mentioned, Bally’s revealed in October 2022 that it had arrived at an agreement with a consortium of trade union organizations concerning the construction of its upcoming Bally’s Chicago casino. The deal resulted in the signing of a multi-project labor agreement (PLA) with the collective.
The consortiums in question are the Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council (CCBT) and the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department. The CCBT, much like the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), is also an AFL-CIO associated labor group, counting over 100,000 members in its ranks.
Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council President Michael Macellaio asserted that the consortium is now pleased to be working together with Bally’s in developing and building Chicago’s first major casino in recent years:
“BCTC is proud to stand with Bally’s Chicago in this historic building of the first and only casino in the City of Chicago. With this agreement, Bally’s shows that it understands the importance of good-paying jobs in our city and the dignity of our hard-working people.”– Michael Macellaio, President, Chicago & Cook County Building & Construction Trades Council, Press Release
Bally’s Donated $600,000 to International Center for Responsible Gaming in August 2022
Adding to the image of Bally’s general goodwill was the news in August 2022 that it had donated $600,000 to the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG) to support the center’s ongoing research into the issue of gambling among young adults and the effectiveness of responsible gambling tools.
Following the news, the ICRG promptly issued a call to scientists across the world inviting them to apply for funding to assist with the center’s research projects into the issue of problem gambling.
President of the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), Arthur Paikowsky, marked Bally’s generous $600,000 grant by claiming that the operator is serious about better understanding the implications of youth gambling:
“With this grant, Bally’s has taken a giant stride toward understanding the health risks of young adult gamblers and improving the effectiveness of existing responsible gambling tools. The ICRG salutes Bally’s for making such a huge impact on the field of gambling studies.”
