Atlantic City pushes for casino worker raise to avert strike

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Atlantic City’s local government is urging its dominant industry to avoid a possible strike by paying casinos workers more and hiring more of them. With strike deadlines looming in early July against at least five casinos, Local 54 of the Unite Here union is seeking new contracts to replace those that expired on June 1. It has authorized a July 1 strike against the Borgata, Caesars, Harrah’s and Tropicana, and a July 3 strike against Hard Rock if new deals are not in place by then. Union leadership would need to take an additional vote before a walkout could begin.