A contract between the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore and Unite Here Local 7 took effect this month. The 5-union group represents hospitality workers in the Baltimore area, including about 1,000 employees at the casino: all food and beverage and slot machine attendants, stage and sound workers, parking attendants, drivers and warehouse workers and slot technicians.
Roxie Herbekian, president and lead negotiator of Unite Here Local 7, said,
“We’re taking seriously our charge of pushing for better jobs in service sectors. Baltimore has lost good paying manufacturing jobs and we have to make service-sector jobs good, family sustaining jobs.” She said the contract “will put millions of dollars more into the pockets of local residents. This is money will be spent in our local economy.”
She said although casino employees gained union representation soon after the casino opened in August 2014, terms of the contract only recently have been negotiated, including wage increases, improved health benefits and an education and training fund.
Herbekian said union members participated in a recent march in downtown Baltimore to urge elected officials and employers to support the interests of Baltimore city residents who work in the hospitality sector.
