Atlantic Metropolis On line casino Smoking Opponents Take Struggle to Senator
Atlantic Metropolis on line casino smoking opponents rallying exterior a state senator’s workplace who they are saying flip-flopped his assist had been invited inside amid frigid chilly temperatures on Wednesday.
Atlantic Metropolis on line casino staff against indoor smoking meet with New Jersey Sen. Vince Polistina (R) on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. Polistina is pictured explaining why he’s supportive of giving casinos the possibility to develop doable compromises. (Picture: Press of Atlantic Metropolis)
Members of CEASE, On line casino Workers Towards Smoking Results, and desk sport sellers represented by the United Auto Employees (UAW) union went to New Jersey Sen. Vince Polistina’s (R-Atlantic) workplace in Egg Harbor Township. The on line casino smoking opponents voiced their displeasure with Polistina agreeing to provide the casinos time to develop doable compromises, with one early thought being totally enclosed smoking rooms.
The casinos argue a full tobacco ban on their gaming flooring would result in income losses and large job cuts. They are saying enclosed smoking areas separate from nonsmoking gaming areas would resolve the controversy, and solely staff keen to work in such smoking environments would deal playing cards and attend to slots within the enclosures.
CEASE says that’s a bunch of rubbish.
“You wish to construct smoking rooms to be staffed by volunteers. We’re going to be ‘voluntold’ to go in,” stated Pete Naccarelli, a 27-year desk sport seller on the Borgata who heads the Atlantic Metropolis CEASE chapter. Naccarelli’s feedback contained in the state senator’s workplace had been first reported by the Press of Atlantic City.
CEASE members advised the state senator that casinos have put a pregnant lady and a co-worker battling most cancers at smoking tables.
Senator Defends Place
Polistina initially supported state laws to drive the 9 casinos in Atlantic Metropolis to require people who smoke to go exterior to mild up. He attended CEASE rallies previously and was seemingly one of many grassroots coalition’s strongest allies.
I used to be with you from the beginning, stood with you on the rallies, stood with you in Trenton,” Polistina stated. “I agree with the truth that we should always not have smoking in any indoor facility wherever within the state of New Jersey.”
Polistina blamed politics for his change of coronary heart. He stated the South Jersey Democratic delegation misplaced seats in the course of the current election and the chances of implementing a full smoking ban lengthened.
Polistina says he would nonetheless vote in favor of a on line casino smoking ban ought to it come up for a vote on the Senate flooring. However in December, he stated he supported permitting the casinos to develop options that may sidestep a full smoking ban.
“The casinos consider they’ll meet our objective of eliminating worker and patron publicity to secondhand smoke with a structured plan and extra capital funding into their properties over the subsequent couple of years,” Polistina stated final month. “Provided that their issues about potential job losses and closures have resonated with some lawmakers, that is the route I consider we have to go in order that we don’t lose momentum on this difficulty.”
Union Additionally to Blame, Says Senator
Whereas the UAW helps a smoking ban, as their on line casino members are frontline staff who deal playing cards, Unite Right here Native 54 doesn’t.
Native 54 represents many extra on line casino staff in Atlantic Metropolis than does UAW, however their members work primarily in resort operations. Such jobs embody waitstaff, bartenders, cooks, porters, and housekeepers.
Native 54 has sided with the casinos in considering a smoking ban would relocate people who smoke to casinos in Philadelphia, the place state legislation permits smoking on as much as half of the gaming flooring. Harrah’s, Stay!, and Rivers proceed to permit on line casino smoking, whereas Parx On line casino is smoke-free. Parx was the top-grossing on line casino in Pennsylvania’s 17-casino market in 2023.
