MGM to cut dozens more workers
In another sign of trouble for the city's casinos, the only Detroit gambling hall to increase its revenue this year will resort to another round of layoffs.
MGM Grand Detroit officials said Friday the casino-resort complex will lay off an unspecified number of food-service workers in the next two to four weeks.
The total layoffs will come to less than 100, a spokeswoman said.
The employees being cut are mostly full-time and represented by unions, including the United Auto Workers.
They work as dishwashers, chefs and in "back of house" food-service positions supporting MGM Grand Detroit's various food service operations, which include celebrity chef Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak, Saltwater and the Wolfgang Puck Grille.
The casino, which employs approximately 3,600 full and part-time workers, also is home to one quick-service restaurant and one buffet, as well as room service operations for the property's 400-room hotel.
Shortly after opening its new permanent casino and resort-style hotel last fall, MGM Grand laid off roughly 100 workers due to slow business.
The employees being cut are mostly full-time and represented by unions, including the United Auto Workers.
They work as dishwashers, chefs and in "back of house" food-service positions supporting MGM Grand Detroit's various food service operations, which include celebrity chef Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak, Saltwater and the Wolfgang Puck Grille.
The casino, which employs approximately 3,600 full and part-time workers, also is home to one quick-service restaurant and one buffet, as well as room service operations for the property's 400-room hotel.
Shortly after opening its new permanent casino and resort-style hotel last fall, MGM Grand laid off roughly 100 workers due to slow business.
Roger Kerson, a UAW spokesman, didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.
MGM Grand Detroit isn't alone in eliminating jobs this year; Greektown Casino shed 89 workers in June after filing for bankruptcy in late May.
Of Detroit's three casinos, MGM Grand has fared the best as the city has struggled to establish itself as a regional gaming destination while Michigan's one-state recession rages on.
Source
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While wooing Detroit these casinos gave a spiel of prosperity and employment of legendary proportions.
Casinos never benefit the city they reside in, the down side always outweighs the positive points.
Casinos operate like magnets to remove money from the population, money that in this case goes out of state.
When the casino says less than 100 will be laid off they don't really describe it like I would.
-100 families will be impacted in a negative way, eliminating income entirely from some single income families.
-No taxes will be pulled from these now non-productive members of the state.
-They will now be pulling unemployment checks which further put a draw on the state economy.
-These workers won't be making any major purchases and will be avoiding all frivolous purchases such as eating out and entertainment.
-These workers won't be buying as much gas since they will not be reporting to work and trying to save money.
-These workers won't be paying union dues making the UAW even weaker than it already is.
I could go on but my point is MGM looks at it as just "under 100 workers" while being the only casino to make a profit this year of the three major casinos.
"Profit" in this case could also be better described as money pulled from people through a unfair gambling model that ensures the house will always win in the end....yeah that profit.
The UAW not returning comment?
Why would they?... they're total pussies.
The UAW stopped representing its members long ago, they don't give a crap about this 100 or so former dues paying members...they are only going to be concerned with any remaining dues paying members still employed.
Just ask a UAW member how they feel about the union, they'll be harsher than I ever could.
Since when has the United AUTO Workers union been in the food services business?
Since they got greedy is when, you think that casino was going to get to operate in Mo-Town without the union getting it's cut?
And to quote the source writer...."Michigan's one state recession".
What? Huh?
What hole has this Detroit News writer's head been stuck in for the last 8 years?
So to all those who thought the casinos were going to save us from economic despair....I hope you weren't laid off or belong to the UAW.
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