Detroit Casino Workers Take Their Fight to City Hall as Strike Continues

Article by : Erik Gibbs Oct 26, 2023

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After one week of the casino workers’ strike against MotorCity, MGM Grand and Hollywood, the situation is evolving. Hundreds of striking workers made their way to Detroit City Hall on Tuesday to meet with Detroit City Council members and express their concerns regarding the strike.

Last week marked the first-ever strike by thousands of workers from five different unions against the casinos. They initiated a march along Woodward Ave., with many later entering the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center to articulate their grievances.

Carman Willson, a bartender at MotorCity Casino with 15 years of service, expressed how the strike has imposed hardships on her family by depriving her of a paycheck.

To Wilson, the workers are seeking a shift for various reasons, including the need for increased income to support their families. Their demands encompass higher wages, enhanced healthcare, greater retirement security and reduced workloads.

Paul Supanich, another bartender at MotorCity, revealed he’s been waiting for a raise for three years. “We feel like we deserve it. We worked through cigarettes for 20 years, through COVID, so we’re expecting a raise and they promised it,” he emphasized.

According to a report from the Detroit Casino Council, the casinos are incurring daily losses amounting to millions of dollars, and the tax revenue for the City of Detroit is also diminishing. Among the most severely affected is MGM, which is estimated to be losing $1.7 million daily.

MotorCity is losing approximately $1.1 million each day, while Hollywood’s losses amount to around $652,000 daily. The City of Detroit is additionally grappling with an estimated loss of $452,000 in tax revenue.

Tom Hargress, who recently joined MGM as a housekeeper, concurs with the necessity for salary raises. He believes that the long-serving employees unquestionably deserve the compensation they are requesting.

In 1998, the Detroit City Council approved the introduction of three casinos to the city. These three casinos collectively generated $1.2 billion in revenue in 2022. On Tuesday, the City Council passed a resolution in support of the striking casino workers.

Meanwhile, outside the council chambers, the strike has entered its seventh day, and discussions are set to recommence on Thursday, October 26.

Concerns among the workers revolve around the possibility of replacement workers being brought in as the casinos experience a significant drop in guest attendance.