Support from organized labor helped Bally’s win Chicago casino bid, but the company faces a strike in Rhode Island

Support from organized labor helped Bally’s win Chicago casino bid, but the company faces a strike in Rhode Island

Article brief provided by Chicago Sun-Times
  • David Roeder and Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times
July 4, 2022 1:50 PM
  • David Roeder and Fran Spielman, Chicago Sun-Times

Bally’s, which won its bid for a Chicago casino in large measure on its backing from organized labor, is facing a possible strike at its casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island.

Story continues below

Members of Local 26 of Unite Here, the hospitality workers union, overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike at Bally’s Twin Rivers Casino outside of Providence. The union had raised the specter of a strike timed for the busy July 4 weekend, but a spokeswoman said Friday it agreed to work at least another two weeks because of progress in bargaining.

Still, the situation could raise doubts in Chicago about how Bally’s will deal with unions once it sets up shop here.