NJ Casino Union, Golden Nugget Reach Pact

The main Atlantic City casino workers union has reached a tentative deal on a new contract with the Golden Nugget Atlantic City.

Workers were voting Monday night on the proposed deal. Terms were not announced, but contracts reached in recent months with other Atlantic City casinos called for modest raises and successfully fought off management demands that workers contribute for the first time to their pension and health insurance costs.

Assuming the deal is ratified, Local 54 of the Unite-HERE casino union will now have contracts with eight of Atlantic City's 11 casinos. It does not yet have contracts with the former Atlantic City Hilton, Resorts Casino Hotel and the Tropicana Casino and Resort, which last week declared an impasse in contract talks and said it would implement its own last, best offer with or without union approval.

The Golden Nugget is the former Trump Marina Hotel Casino.

Landry's Restaurants bought it in May, changed the name and invested $150 million into the facility, which has been among the worst performing in the city in terms of casino revenues.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)