Atlantic City casino workers plan protest over benefit cuts

The largest union representing workers at Atlantic City, New Jersey's hard-hit casinos plan to rally outside the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort on Wednesday to protests a bankruptcy court-approved cut to benefits for some 1,000 casino workers.

The protest over cuts sought by billionaire investor Carl Icahn in exchange for keeping the casino open comes at a time when the Jersey Shore resort city is suffering as gambling revenue drops and casinos close.

Gamblers placed about $2.74 billion in bets at Atlantic City casinos last year, down 4.5 percent for the year and well below the $5.2 billion peak in 2006 before neighboring states allowed casinos to open. Four Atlantic City casinos closed last year, with the Taj Mahal narrowly surviving after a cash infusion from Icahn.

The local chapter of the UNITE HERE union that organized Wednesday's planned protest said the cuts took an unreasonable toll on casino staff.

http://news.yahoo.com/atlantic-city-casino-workers-plan-protest-over-benefit-182523026--finance.html