MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino Workers Ratify Contract as MGM Staff Continues to Strike in Detroit

After walking off the job on October 17, 2023, around 2,100 workers at MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown, Detroit have ratified a contract with the employers to end a 34-day strike at these two properties. However, the move has not been followed by the workers at MGM Grand Casino that have been on strike since the same date. As reported, they rejected the employer’s proposal and will continue to strike.

Council Voted To End Strike:

As The Detroit News reports, around 3,700 workers of these three casinos are represented by the Detroit Casino Council union. Still, the members from each of the three properties on strike voted separately on the offer. MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino members voted to ratify the five-year contract. These around 2,100 workers will reportedly instantly receive a $3 raise per hour to receive a total of a $5 raise per hour during the contract performance. The workers at the two casinos will reportedly also benefit from workload reductions, technology protections, and no health care cost increases.

The strike of the members of the Detroit Casino Council began on October 17, 2023 after the contract negotiation had failed. According to The Detroit News, the council informed that the strike was due to heavier workloads extending from the pandemic time, as well as the rising inflation. The casino workers including dealers, engineers, cleaning and catering staff reportedly requested increased wages, job and health care protections, and reduced workloads.

As reported, the council said that the immediate raise represents an average of 18% for the workers. The source reports that it is “the largest wage increases ever negotiated in the history of the Detroit casino industry,” as the council stated. The contract ratified by the union members at Greektown and MGM casinos also guarantees that workers will be timely informed of new technology acquisitions by the employer to allow for either staff training for new jobs created by technology or health care and severance payments for the employees made redundant by such a new technology introduction, as The Detroit New reports.

Casinos Welcome the Agreement:

The agreement has reportedly been welcomed by the casino management. John Drake, vice president and general manager at Hollywood Casino at Greektown, said that casinos appreciate “the productive and respectful negotiations with the DCC and are eager to welcome back our team members as soon as possible.” On the other hand, Matt Buckley, president and COO of MGM Resorts Midwest Group, referred to the MGM workers’ decision to reject the proposal and continue to strike as a “very disappointing result,” according to the source.

In a letter to employees, Buckley reportedly stated: “All employees were voting on the exact same contract, which the DCC itself said was ‘a historic investment in Detroit’s future’. It’s disappointing that our DCC-represented employees would vote to reject a contract that the overall majority has approved.” Buckley reportedly also stated that the casino will continue its operations regardless of the strike.