ATLANTIC CITY - A major New Jersey police union is asking its members not to patronize the Tropicana Casino & Resort when the group holds its convention at a different casino in the city next month.
The New Jersey Policemen's Benevolent Association is holding its convention at Bally's Atlantic City in March. President Anthony Wieners wants cops to stay away from the Trop because it has declared an impasse in negotiations with its unionized workers and intends to end their pension plan.
The casino plans to make the payments that would have gone to the pension plan either directly to workers or to their 401(k) accounts.
Local 54 of the Unite Here casino union is asking groups that have booked events at the Tropicana to take their business elsewhere.
"This is in support of Local 54 and our union brothers and sisters, and we feel, as a labor union, we should be supportive," Wieners said.
The police union is holding its convention from March 4 to 9 at Bally's. The group estimates it will bring 2,500 officers and $1 million worth of spending to Atlantic City.
"The Tropicana wants to step outside of the long tradition of providing a pension to workers, and they're going to pay the price," Local 54 president Bob McDevitt said.
Tropicana president Tony Rodio said the union was hurting its own members by scaring business away from the casino. But he said the Tropicana would stick to its plan to implement what it calls its last, best offer with or without union approval.
