Tropicana suspends workers in protest

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/article/APNewsBreak-Tropicana-suspends-workers-in-protest-3644890.php#ixzz1yGP2Ij4N

WAYNE PARRY, Associated Press
Updated 03:11 p.m., Tuesday, June 19, 2012



In a Friday, June 15, 2012 photo, Paul Smith, wearing jail garb, helps block traffic outside the entrance to the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City N.J. Union members were arrested for what they termed an act of civil disobedience for protesting the casino's failure to reach a contract with the union, and for terminating its employee pension plan in favor of cash payments to workers. On June 19, 2012, the Tropicana suspended 21 of its workers who were arrested in the protest. Photo: Wayne Parry / AP

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City is suspending workers who took part in a protest that blocked traffic Friday night near the casino's entrance.

Tropicana president Tony Rodio says 21 workers were suspended indefinitely for engaging in illegal activity that interfered with the casino's customers.

Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union conducted what it called a civil disobedience campaign Friday resulting in the arrest of 49 of its members after they sat down in the roadway and stopped traffic. The union was protesting the lack of a new contract and the casino's termination of its employee pension plan in favor of cash payments to workers.

Rodio says the casino is trying to determine whether the workers should be fired or not.


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