Workers at Golden Nugget Atlantic City unanimously approved a new one-year contract extension Thursday night with UNITE HERE Local 54, preserving existing benefits and protections while providing wage increases across the bargaining unit.
All employees who participated in the ratification vote supported the agreement, according to The Press of Atlantic City. The contract retains gains secured during the union’s 2022 bargaining, maintains benefit coverage at 100%, and raises wages for workers covered by the agreement.
The Golden Nugget agreement is part of Local 54’s move toward one-year contracts with Atlantic City casinos this year, instead of the longer-term agreements that have traditionally governed labor relations in the market. The union has reached similar short-term deals with most of the city’s casino properties.
The shorter contracts come as Atlantic City’s casino industry faces several unresolved issues that could affect the market over the coming years. Three new casinos are expected to open in New York City within the next year or two, creating additional regional competition for Atlantic City properties and their visitor base.
New Jersey lawmakers are also again considering whether to place another casino expansion referendum before voters. Such a vote would ask whether casinos should be permitted in North Jersey, potentially creating another gaming destination in the state and changing the competitive environment for Atlantic City operators.
Another unresolved issue involves smoking inside casinos. Some workers continue to push for a complete indoor smoking ban at Atlantic City casinos, a change that could affect employee working conditions as well as casino operations.
With the Golden Nugget agreement completed, Bally’s Atlantic City is now the only casino in the city without a new agreement with Local 54. Negotiations between Bally’s and the union are expected to resume next week.