Strike effect on downtown Vegas
Quote: vanwelyCulinary Union Local 226 has authorized a strike of downtown Las Vegas casinos. I am planning a trip in June and read that this is when the contract runs out. I like to stay and do most my gambling on Fremont. Does anyone have insight on how this will effect downtown casinos and when the strike is likely to hit?
Yes, it will make them more profitable for at least the time they are on strike.
Quote: vanwelyCulinary Union Local 226 has authorized a strike of downtown Las Vegas casinos. I am planning a trip in June and read that this is when the contract runs out. I like to stay and do most my gambling on Fremont. Does anyone have insight on how this will effect downtown casinos and when the strike is likely to hit?
With the downtown Project, Container Park and other businesses, a lot more choices to eat downtown. 5 years ago, pretty inconvenient, today, minor inconvenience.
Casino workers are preparing to strike against several Las Vegas establishments, but their real target is President Obama. Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is pushing about a dozen of its employers to contribute more money to its health insurance fund to cover rising Obamacare costs.
Currently, employers pay 100% of the premiums. The union, which is in contract negotiations, wants to keep it that way. But the spike Obamacare-related expenses could make it tougher to convince employers to pony up more money. . . . At issue are Obamacare fees and mandates that have greatly increased the health insurance fund's expenses in recent years. What's angering the local, along with many unions nationwide, is that the fund doesn't qualify for federal subsidies to cover low-income workers that for-profit insurers do. The union fund wants these subsidies to help offset the added costs. . . .
The Local 226 fund provides health insurance for about 55,000 kitchen workers, housekeepers, bartenders, bellman, porters, laundry workers and others, as well as 70,000 dependents. Employers contribute $3.96 per worker per hour to cover health and pension benefits. Workers don't pay a premium, but are responsible for about 10% of their out-of-pocket medical costs. Since Obamacare was passed in 2010, the culinary union's fund has had to shell out $23 million to cover members' children up to age 26, Cancela said. And this year, it is facing a transitional reinsurance fee of $63 per insured person, which adds another $7 million to the cost. The reinsurance fee reimburses insurers on the exchanges who face high claim costs.
Quote: SanchoPanzaLest the basic reason for the strike threat continue to be minimized, as much of the media seem to be doing, CNN was crystal clear:
Casino workers are preparing to strike against several Las Vegas establishments, but their real target is President Obama. Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is pushing about a dozen of its employers to contribute more money to its health insurance fund to cover rising Obamacare costs.
The unions that lobbied for Obamacare getting bitten in the tail over it. Smiling so hard I hardly notice this cold I have.
What's the over/under that they get so-called "exemptions"?Quote: AZDuffmanQuote: SanchoPanzaLest the basic reason for the strike threat continue to be minimized, as much of the media seem to be doing, CNN was crystal clear:
Casino workers are preparing to strike against several Las Vegas establishments, but their real target is President Obama. Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is pushing about a dozen of its employers to contribute more money to its health insurance fund to cover rising Obamacare costs.
The unions that lobbied for Obamacare getting bitten in the tail over it.
Quote: SanchoPanzaWhat's the over/under that they get so-called "exemptions"?Quote: AZDuffmanQuote: SanchoPanzaLest the basic reason for the strike threat continue to be minimized, as much of the media seem to be doing, CNN was crystal clear:
Casino workers are preparing to strike against several Las Vegas establishments, but their real target is President Obama. Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is pushing about a dozen of its employers to contribute more money to its health insurance fund to cover rising Obamacare costs.
The unions that lobbied for Obamacare getting bitten in the tail over it.
Hard to say, would be lawsuit bait and the administration is weakening in the eyes of the public by the day.
Quote: SanchoPanzaThe Local 226 fund provides health insurance for about 55,000 kitchen workers, housekeepers, bartenders, bellman, porters, laundry workers and others, as well as 70,000 dependents. Employers contribute $3.96 per worker per hour to cover health and pension benefits. Workers don't pay a premium, but are responsible for about 10% of their out-of-pocket medical costs. Since Obamacare was passed in 2010, the culinary union's fund has had to shell out $23 million to cover members' children up to age 26, Cancela said. And this year, it is facing a transitional reinsurance fee of $63 per insured person, which adds another $7 million to the cost. The reinsurance fee reimburses insurers on the exchanges who face high claim costs.
Do I have this right?
There are a total of 125,000 workers/dependents covered by the union health insurance plan. Increased cost is $30 million per year. increased cost per covered person is $240 annually or $20 per month. The workers currently pay zero towards health insurance premiums and the establishments pay $8237 annually ($3.96 * 2080 hours worked per year).
So the decision for the union members is to vote to go on strike in an attempt to get the employers to give in or pay the $20 per month in increased health insurance costs.
What am I missing? It doesn't seem like $20 per month is worth the risk of losing your job by going on strike. There has to be something else going on here.
Quote: SanchoPanza
Currently, employers pay 100% of the premiums. The union, which is in contract negotiations, wants to keep it that way. But the spike Obamacare-related expenses could make it tougher to convince employers to pony up more
Isn't it kind of rare these days to have 100% of premiums paid by an employer. I've worked my whole life for various companies and I've had my health care provided by the company as long as I paid for part of it. I have never had 100% of premiums paid for by any company I have worked for. Today I work for a very large company, we are one of the 30 Dow Jones companies so pretty big, and I pay a premium. With the cost of healthcare today as opposed to say 30 yrs ago, the costs have exploded, I would expect a regular employee working for a large company to pay a premium. Times have changed, maybe casino employees need to realize this, especially an industry struggling to make a profit.
union include a lot more than just food workers? If housekeepers, bartenders, laundry service, bellman etc. are effected, it seems there would be more significant impact on tourists than just finding another place to eat. From what I've seen, the workers look like they are hell bent on striking.
Quote: Paradigm
What am I missing? It doesn't seem like $20 per month is worth the risk of losing your job by going on strike. There has to be something else going on here.
Saw the same thing for the same amount more than once, including one of my best friends. He was so POed and I said, "You are this upset over $1 a day?" Now I am in the position that if anyone complains about paying for part of their coverage my retort is that when they pay 100% I will care.
Casino unions have a long history in Vegas. Control of them meant control of a casino, possibly your competitor. Unions were often forced on casinos as part of Teamster loans. As was mentioned, they are great as foot soldiers and funds for politicians. I used to be about the most pro-union person around, but no more. They long ago left their job of collective bargaining behind to push social policy.
