Atlantic Metropolis’s fundamental on line casino union, the place most staff are ladies, is lastly led by one

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — A lot of the Atlantic Metropolis on line casino staff who clear resort rooms, serve drinks and tidy up public areas are ladies.

For the primary time in 107 years, the union that represents them is now being led by a lady.

Donna DeCaprio is likely one of the most influential folks in Atlantic Metropolis as president of Native 54 of the Unite Right here union, which has about 10,000 members and has repeatedly introduced the on line casino business to its knees throughout labor disputes.

However there might be labor peace in Atlantic Metropolis for no less than three extra years following the adoption of landmark contracts final summer season, which gave staff the most important raises they’ve ever had.

DeCaprio was the lead negotiator of these contracts, filling in for then-president Bob McDevitt who was nonetheless recovering from an sickness that led to the amputation of one in every of his ft.

She was capable of get the job performed with no strike, which might have significantly broken an Atlantic Metropolis on line casino business that was already battling the results of the COVID-19 pandemic and hovering inflation. And her decades-long working relationship with executives of the town’s 9 casinos, in addition to her understanding of what staff face every day, helped seal the deal.

“That is extraordinarily laborious work that they do,” mentioned DeCaprio, who began her profession within the on line casino business ensuring the bar was correctly stocked and cleaned on the Trop World on line casino in 1987.

Sixty p.c of Native 54’s members are ladies.

“I discover that girls usually take a extra collaborative strategy to points,” DeCaprio mentioned. “I wish to construct extra alliances with different unions and construct some bridges.”

RuthAnne Joyce, a bartender at Harrah’s and Arduous Rock, mentioned she is “thrilled” to have DeCaprio main the union.

“She works more durable than anybody I’ve ever identified,” Joyce mentioned. “She is extraordinarily educated and cares for the membership deeply.”

DeCaprio succeeds McDevitt, who left the Native 54 presidency in Could to run the nationwide union’s pension fund. He was probably the most highly effective folks in Atlantic Metropolis for practically 1 / 4 century, and was not identified for shying away from a combat — whether or not it was sitting down in a roadway to dam visitors exterior a on line casino he felt was treating staff unfairly to main the union on a full-blown strike, one thing that occurred in 1999, 2004 and 2016.

DeCaprio acknowledged McDevitt may very well be confrontational when mandatory.

“So can I,” mentioned DeCaprio, who has been arrested 13 instances throughout union demonstrations in assist of staff’ rights. “Much more so, if want be.”

Having been secretary-treasurer of the union for the previous 19 years — in impact the union’s No. 2 official — DeCaprio’s working relationships with on line casino executives helped either side attain a deal with no walkout final summer season.

“I’ve identified Donna for over 20 years, and I’m very comfortable for her as she settles into her new function,” mentioned Resorts on line casino president Mark Giannantonio, who additionally heads the On line casino Affiliation of New Jersey, the business’s commerce group. “Donna is a succesful and good negotiator who at all times has the very best curiosity of her members and the group normally in thoughts always.”

McDevitt mentioned on line casino executives know and respect DeCaprio.

“You spend 5 minutes along with her and also you see how clever she is,” McDevitt mentioned. “She has at all times been a frontrunner. I count on nice issues from her.”

One huge situation she’ll quickly should cope with is whether or not New Jersey ought to ban smoking within the casinos. At present, it is allowed on 25% of the on line casino ground, however a gaggle of on line casino staff is pushing for a full ban.

Greater than half the state Legislature has signed on to a invoice that may ban smoking, and Gov. Phil Murphy has mentioned he’ll signal it. However the measure has but to obtain even a preliminary vote in Senate or Meeting committees, and no vote has been scheduled.

Like McDevitt, DeCaprio says a smoking ban as presently proposed “can be a suicide pact” given the proximity of casinos in Pennsylvania that enable smoking.

“We assist and defend a employee’s proper to work in a protected environment,” she mentioned. However a complete smoking ban “would eradicate hundreds of profitable jobs and doubtless result in the closure of 1 on line casino” as prospects forsake Atlantic Metropolis for different jurisdictions that enable smoking.

DeCaprio mentioned she favors a compromise by which smoking would proceed to be allowed on 25% of the on line casino ground, and casinos can be required to put in the most recent air flow and air therapy expertise. On line casino staff, and a few within the air flow business, say no expertise can utterly rid the air of dangerous substances from cigarette and cigar smoke.

These on line casino staff additionally cite a research exhibiting that non-smoking casinos are performing as nicely or higher than people who enable smoking.

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Comply with Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC