Support the Cosmopolitan as much as you can

Credit Suisse does not own The Cosmopolitan.

DonDiego has no dog in this fight, . . . but he is struck how everyone seems to be choosing a side and no one is explaining upon what issues they are choosing a side.

DonDiego's suspicion that newspaper journalism is deteriorating over time is once verified again, as the articles describe that folks are taking to the streets to protest that there's no Union-Contract without providing many details of the issues. Below is about all poor old DonDiego knows.

The Las Vegas Sun has reported:
"The Culinary Union is fighting for language in the contract that clearly stipulates a housekeeper’s workload and expectations, full health care coverage, a guaranteed work week, protections for seniority . . . if the property changes ownership, a pension plan and other provisions."

These "demands" seem pretty standard, although DonDiego can't pass judgement on inclusion in a contract without some idea of costs and benefits.
Elsewhere on the internets DonDiego found some detail of the "guaranteed work week" issue; workers designated "full-time" (i.e. 40-hours-per-week) do not want the company to be able to cut their hours. The company now, f'rinstance, schedules some full-time workers for only 32 hours a week, because of fewer customers. Workers thereby, i.lose some pay and ii.may not qualify for a health-care plan as at other casinos. This may also have something to do with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

The Las Vegas Revue-Journal reports:
"Overall, Nevada Property 1, which is owned by Deutsche Bank AG, reported net revenue of $126.6 million in the third quarter. For the first nine months of the year, The Cosmopolitan lost $169.6 million on net revenues of $357.7 million.
As of Sept. 30, Nevada Property 1 had $73.1 million in available cash." ["Nevada Property 1 is the designation given to the property by Deutsche Bank to distinguish it from the banks core holdings. Deutsche Bank never wanted to own a casino-hotel; they "acquired" it when the developers defaulted on their loan from the bank. They would like to sell the property.]

DonDiego doesn't know how long a casino-hotel losing, f'rinstance, $58.4-million in the most recent quarter can last with $73.1-million available cash.
But he suspects it would last longer without meeting all the union demands.

Based on the above poor old DonDiego does not know if greedy owners or greedy union members are the villains. Or if there are any villains. Or if the ongoing nationwide economic troubles are a significant factor.
And, as he said, he doesn't have a dog in the fight.

For the record:
DonDiego regularly crossed the picket line at the "New Frontier" for years. This was neither an anti-union nor a pro-management act; he patronized the casino because it had a favorable blackjack game. [It is the only casino where he ever heard a blackjack-dealer actually answer an older gentleman's query as to why he shuffled-up after only one-hand, when he had been regularly dealing two, by saying: "Too many bad cards came out." Because the statement was accurate, DonDiego left the table for that evening.]

I walked in to the Cosmopolitan for the first time last week.

Being inside it gave me a head ache so I left.

Most liberals haven't a clue about running a business. All they can see is how much money a business generates, without taking into consideration the costs of doing business. If liberals want more of the money when they see the amount of money a business generates, then they should be willing to dip into their own pockets to help pay the bills when a business falters. You can't have it both ways and survive. Spending more than you make is what got our country into the financial fix we now find ourselves. You can put the blame where ever you wish, but until wasteful spending is eliminated our nation will delve deeper into the fiscal sinkhole we now are in. Is anybody in Congress listening? I doubt it. Our current administration just prints more money and borrows more from China. Yes, more "change we can believe in" at work.

relevance?

Your comparisons are ridiculous. The culinary workers employment conditions aren't anywhere close to the examples you present.

Also, what they are doing isn't just collectively asking an employer for a raise. If they were only picketing the property to bring attention to their cause, that would be just fine. What they were doing was blocking traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard South during rush hour. They not only inconvenienced 10's of thousands of visitors and residents, they directly and deliberately caused the realignment of a large contingent of local law enforcement personnel.

I do not deny the right of Labor to Organize or Bargain Collectively....Perhaps Chilcoot could point out where I suggest that...with something like a quote mark...you know...one of these things ".

I wish that more people would be happy in their work. I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is to work their entire lives in jobs they don't like....and I feel blessed to have developed professional skills and a business that I can enjoy for the rest of my days.

If a person is unhappy with his pay or his benefits or other aspects of work he should take personal action to change that situation and not depend on his union or current employer. It's called taking responsibility for yourself. Of course I can understand how Chilcoot would not appreciate that concept.

"It's called taking responsibility for yourself. Of course I can understand how Chilcoot would not appreciate that concept". Well said.

I'm sorry, I was dealing in something with Credit Suisse and got it mixed up. You unfortunately need a huge reality check. You have NO clue of how business works and are too inept at answering the issue.

Rats, I was kind of thinking we'd have something to debate. I know you're a newbie here, you'll see how things work soon enough.

I'm generally apprehensive about civil disobedience like we saw the union do this week in front of Cosmo. But if it can get people to reaffirm their commitment to collective bargaining following two frustrating years without progress, I guess such tactics do have their place.