The Latest: Casino union sets Atlantic City strike deadline

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The Latest on Atlantic City’s main casino workers union voting on whether to authorize a strike (all times local):

12:05 p.m.

Atlantic City’s main casino workers union plans a July 1 strike deadline if its members authorize a walkout.

Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union is voting Thursday on whether to authorize a strike against most of the city’s casinos.

Union president Bob McDevitt says that if enough workers authorize a strike, the union will walk off the job July 1 unless a contract is reached with Bally’s, Harrah’s, Caesars, Tropicana and the Trump Taj Mahal.

The union says workers made painful sacrifices that need to be reversed now that Atlantic City’s casinos are regaining their financial footing.

The casinos say they are committed to a fair contract that works for both sides.

Voting will end around 8 p.m.

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10:20 a.m.

Voting is underway among casino union members in Atlantic City on whether to authorize a strike against five of the eight casinos.

Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union is voting Thursday in Boardwalk Hall on whether to authorize a strike against Bally’s, Caesars, Harrah’s and the Tropicana. It previously authorized a strike against the Trump Taj Mahal.

Even if the union votes yes, it would not walk out immediately. The vote lets the union call a strike at some future date.

The union says workers made painful sacrifices that need to be reversed now that Atlantic City’s casinos are regaining their financial footing.

The casinos say they are committed to a fair contract that works for both sides.

Voting will end around 8 p.m.

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1:05 a.m.

Atlantic City’s main casino workers union will decide whether to authorize a strike against four of the city’s gambling halls.

If members of Local 54 of the Unite-HERE union vote yes Thursday, the union will have given itself the right to call strikes against five of the city’s eight casinos.

Thursday’s vote involves Bally’s, Caesars, Harrah’s and the Tropicana. The union previously authorized a strike against the Trump Taj Mahal.

Even if the union votes yes, it would not walk out immediately. The vote lets the union call a strike at some future date.

The union says workers made painful sacrifices that need to be reversed now that Atlantic City’s casinos are regaining their financial footing.

The Tropicana says it has invested $160 million in the casino since 2011.