Until now, the Detroit Casino Council has played its strike against the city’s three corporate-owned resorts flawlessly. Some 3,700 workers — dealers, cleaners, waitstaff, valets and engineers, among others — walked off the job on Oct. 17 because MGM Grand Detroit, MotorCity Casino and Hollywood Casino at Greektown have failed to offer a fair new contract.
This is Michigan, where unions still wield immense power. The picket lines at each property are visible and discouraging to people who want to visit. When I went down to check it out a couple of weeks ago, I was impressed by how clearheaded and determined the workers were and how well they stated their case that they are owed a generous deal because of the significant sacrifice they made during the pandemic.
