Things are coming to a head in Carl Icahn’s battle with Atlantic City casino workers after a relatively quiet summer and now a major labor union has stepped in and called for a boycott of Icahn-owned casinos in the resort.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO has asked union members to boycott both the Tropicana casino In Atlantic City—which Icahn owns—and the Trump Taj Mahal which the billionaire has been acquiring through bankruptcy proceedings.
The union is backing Atlantic City’s casino workers union Local 54 of Unite-HERE, which has been in a bitter battle with Trump Entertainment and Icahn over health and pension benefits at the Taj Mahal.
Unite-HERE has authorized a strike against the Taj Mahal, but so far has not gone out. But, the union has shown signs it is preparing to strike—possibly over the holiday Labor Day weekend—by stockpiling strike supplies.
“We respectfully ask affiliated union members and their friends and family to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Unite-HERE Local 54, who have borne the brunt of Icahn’s ruthless and greedy assault on workers,” the AFL-CIO said in a statement.
The statement calls Icahn a “billionaire robber-baron” and demands he restore health and pension coverage to workers. A federal bankruptcy judge allowed Trump Entertainment Resorts to cancel its union contracts and the health and pension benefits. Workers received a subsidy to help purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
Icahn technically did not control the casino at that point, but has said he must have the concessions to keep the property open as he takes over.
Local 54 has challenged the ruling in appeals court and said it will strike if the appeal is overturned. Icahn has said he will close the casino of the union wins its appeal.
Icahn has sharply criticized the union-run health plan that was in effect, calling it a cash cow for the local.
Meanwhile, Local 54 has not only stockpiled strike supplies—filling a storage pod with T-shirts, water coolers, cots, wheelchairs, ponchos and bullhorns among other things—but it has also acquired “Randy the Rat,” a large inflatable rat caricature that is a staple at most Atlantic City picket lines.
When Randy shows up, strikes are usually imminent.
