Right: restaurant host Jake Posner; left: steward Rosaura Villanueva

Today I attended a clergy lunch hosted by labor union Unite Here to learn about the struggle being waged by workers at Rivers Casino in Chicago (Rosemont) to organize a union. I’m honored to say I stand in solidarity with them in their efforts to achieve job security, economic stability and respect from their employer.

Some background: Rivers Casino is owned by real estate and casino magnate Neil Bluhm, a founder and current President of JMB Realty Corporation. JMB owns a number of luxury hotels, casinos and office buildings throughout the US – most notably in Bluhm’s hometown of Chicago. Bluhm’s current net worth is $2.5 billion, making him the 222nd richest man in the world according to Forbes Magazine.

Since opening two years ago, Rivers Casino in Rosemont has made $285 million in cash profits and has become the most profitable casino in Illinois.  Alas, these profits have not been reaching the 440 employees of the casino whose hard work has been critical to its success.  By way of comparison, Chicago’s Ritz-Carlton – a union hotel owned by Bluhm – made $16 million in cash profits over the past two years, yet workers there earn significantly more than Rivers employees in comparable positions. Perhaps most critically, individual healthcare for Ritz-Carlson workers is free while it costs Rivers employees $50.24 to $80.66 per month. And family healthcare costs anywhere from $155.88 to $247.90 monthly while Ritz-Carlton workers pay only $30.00 monthly. These numbers are particularly galling when you consider that the cash profits Bluhm reaps at Rivers Casino are considerably higher than at the Ritz.

Among other things, numbers such as these demonstrate the critical role unions play in ensuring a fair and livable wage – an especially critical issue in this era of increasing wealth disparity. Research repeatedly demonstrates, in fact, that there is actually less income inequality in regions where there is greater union density. Anyone concerned with the growing gap between the rich and poor (and a livable wage for the latter) would do well to consider the importance of unions in ensuring the well being our nation’s working women and men.

The Chicago organizing initiative is just getting underway, joining similar campaigns in Bluhm-owned casinos in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. At my meeting today I had the chance to hear from Unite Here organizers as well as two Rivers employees who have joined the union organizing commitee: Jake Posner, who works as a host at the Hugo’s Steak House in the casino, and steward Rosaura Villanueva.  Both of them spoke movingly of their exceedingly difficult and untenable job conditions – as well as the hope that has been kindled as they organize their fellow employees one by one.

Naturally, management is already fighting back hard. There is clearly a painful struggle ahead – but to date over one hundred Rivers employees have already signed on and the workers are clearly gaining momentum in their organizing efforts. I will continue to report on this campaign and will make sure to include information on how you can show your solidarity with the men and women of Rivers Casino in the coming weeks and months.