Poker Writer
More than 200 casino workers went on strike over the weekend at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Though the strike disrupted many facets of the casino, the poker room continues to operate, PokerScout was able to confirm.
The strike began on Friday and has continued through Monday as workers hit the picket line, demanding that the casino recognize their effort to unionize.
Table games dealer Ericka Hacker, who has worked at the casino for six years, said on a video on WTHR Indianapolis, “We will stand here 24 hours, seven days a week, until you recognize us.”
Horseshoe Casino Indianapolis Poker Room Remains Open
Is the Horseshoe Indiana poker room open? While the strike has impacted some operations at the casino, the poker room is not one of them.
PokerScout called the Horseshoe Indianapolis poker room on Monday at 1 p.m. The poker room manager said five tables are up and running all day. He explained that nothing has changed in the poker room:
The entire strike is overblown by the news. We are fine. The workers that are a part of the strike are in a different area entirely which does not impact us here at the poker room.
Even though the poker room remains open, the union has asked poker players to boycott the casino during the strike.
Striking for Union Recognition
The strike for union recognition is unprecedented in recent history, according to an official from Teamsters, which represents 5,000 casino workers across the country.
A union election was scheduled for Oct. 17. But because of the shutdown of the federal government, the National Labor Relations Board could not oversee the voting process. The casino refused to have a third-party hold the election.
Dustin Roach, president of Teamsters Local 135, told WYFI Indianapolis he is pushing for the casino to reach out to the union.
Sometimes these companies don’t realize that if they just sat down and spoke with their workers — listened to their workers and gave their workers a voice and a seat at the table — then they wouldn’t be at this point.
Roach echoed Hacker’s sentiment that the workers will strike as long as necessary.
We will be out here as long as it takes. That could be one day, that could be two weeks, that could be two months. We will be out here.
Some of the demands include short-term disability pay, safer parking lots for workers, and increased wages.
Horseshoe Indianapolis is located in Shelbyville, about 45 minutes southeast of downtown Indianapolis.
