More than 140 workers went on strike Monday at Caesars Southern Indiana Hotel and Casino.
The work stoppage started after the property reopened. Flooding from the Ohio River temporarily closed the casino.
Teamsters Local 89 officials and the property, which is owned by VICI Properties and operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, have not been able to agree to a contract during negotiations over the last few months. The union’s current contract expired a month ago.
“We’re going to hold management accountable for their greed and blatant disrespect,” union president Avral Thompson said. “It’s time for the people who run this casino to recognize the workers who make their profits possible. We’ll do whatever it takes to win what our members deserve.”
Negotiations Stall
The move to strike comes just a couple of weeks after union members authorized the use of a strike. Workers have argued that the casino has seen record-breaking profits recently, including $240 million in revenue in 2024, but none of that revenue has been given to the workers.
“None of us wanted to strike, but management forced our hand,” Heather Emily, a cage cashier at the casino, told local media. “All we’re asking for is the ability to support our families and retire with dignity. This property makes more than enough money to do right by us.”
The union represents a small percentage of the casino’s more than 900 employees. After the union authorized the strike, casino management said that the company had negotiated in good faith and wanted to reach an agreement with workers.
“Caesars Southern Indiana remains committed to the collective bargaining process and continues to negotiate in good faith with union representatives," casino representatives noted in a statement. “Caesars Southern Indiana looks forward to continuing productive discussions and remains optimistic about reaching a mutually beneficial agreement in the near future.”
There have been several work stoppages at casinos nationwide over the last few years.
In 2024, 30,000 Las Vegas Culinary and Bartenders union workers hit the picket line.
A year earlier, workers at several large Las Vegas properties reached a labor deal just before a planned strike. Virgin Hotels reached an agreement with workers earlier this year after a contentious 69-day strike.
In December 2023, Detroit casino workers spent more than a month on the picket line before they reached an agreement with the city’s three commercial casinos.
