Across the country, workers have called for meeting with real estate-level executives to criticize executive bonuses. In addition, at the company's annual shareholders' meeting in Las Vegas, Culinary Union members challenged the company's plans.
Dan Lynch, a bartender at Harrah's Resort Atlantic City, asked, "Top-wage workers have gotten an 80-cent raise over the last 12 years, and you haven't even met us yet. Is executive bonus more important than workers who make beds and pour drinks for Caesars?"
In addition to the bonuses, United Here also challenged the company for $59 million in payments Casars made to private equity owners Apollo, TPG, and its affiliates. Maya Holmes, a United Here researcher, asked, "Of that, $20 million was in repayment of expenses for 'financial and strategic advisory and consulting services'. What advice did the company receive for that $20 million?"
Leain Vashon, the bell captain in Las Vegas, Paris, said, "When Caesars wants to give a small group of most executives a bonus of nearly $50 million this year and offer thousands of employees a much smaller amount, we question what you really value."
Workers in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Tunica, Baltimore, and Southern Indiana protested the proposed bonus by sending a delegation to Caesars management.
In Baltimore, Elton McQueen joined the Hosche Casino management delegation. Speaking about the move, he said, "We've been negotiating for almost a year and Caesars want to give us a bonus without even offering us an increase. They promised us a good job in our city and this is ridiculous."
UNITE HERE is currently negotiating contracts or pay re-refurbishment for about 15,000 Caesars workers. 슬롯머신