Editorial: Union takes bold step in tough times

Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001 | 8:36 a.m.

Thousands of hotel-casino employees have lost their jobs following the drop in tourism after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Hotel-casinos, with a few notable exceptions, have been very quick to lay off employees instead of looking for other ways to limit the impact from the decline in business. Not only have thousands of employees lost their jobs, but they no longer have health insurance benefits, a huge loss with the high costs of today's medical care.

In response, members of the Culinary Union voted nearly 2-1 last week to reduce their own work weeks down to 32 hours if it meant that some of their laid-off fellow workers could get their old jobs back. In this day and age it's remarkable to see people voluntarily take pay cuts of up to 20 percent. Some union members were bitterly opposed to making any concessions, but in the end the overwhelming majority of those voting decided to help their fellow workers by agreeing to a pay cut.

Corporations that run casinos must answer to their shareholders, but that doesn't mean they have to be heartless. During a national crisis like this they also have a responsibility to their employees, who during the good times helped create the level of profits that have allowed the executives to prosper so handsomely. The hotel-casinos should take up the offer from the Culinary Union and bring back the laid-off employees.