Casino workers rally for reprieve in Atlantic City

Casino employees rallied last night to save their jobs at two gambling halls scheduled to close in September.

Chanting “Four more months!” about 300 employees of Trump Plaza and other casinos marched a half-mile stretch of the Boardwalk to present a petition to the management of Trump Taj Mahal. More than 700 people have signed the petition asking to keep the gambling going for another four months. They say extra time is needed to find buyers for the struggling casinos.

Yomary Blanco has worked as a porter at Trump Plaza for 18 years. She says she’s not quite sure what she’ll do if she loses her job.

“Because my husband also, actually, works at Show Boat, that’s another casino that’s closing down…so really, I haven’t figured out yet what we’re gong to do,” Blanco said.

Theresa Volpe has 28 years on the job as a cocktail server, and believes Trump Plaza can stay open so she and her coworkers don’t have to collect unemployment.

“We’re eligible for unemployment but we’re not looking at it as ‘what if?’  We’re looking at it as ‘we’re going to make this work.’ This town can do it. The city has been revitalized many times, and I think we can pull it off,” Volpe said.

This was the third rally protesting casino closings.

In all, there were a dozen Atlantic City gaming halls open for business at the start of the year. By the end of next month, only eight might remain.