Union To Picket Tropicana Over Pension Termination

The main Atlantic City casino union plans to picket outside and around the Tropicana Casino and Resort on Thursday night.

The casino is terminating its employees' pension plan in favor of other payment options.

The dispute is rapidly shaping up as a test of wills between the Carl Icahn-owned casino and the powerful union, which brought the resort to its knees with a 2004 strike.

Local 54 of the Unite-HERE casino union is asking groups that have booked events at the Tropicana to take their business elsewhere.

The union has used the tactic of persuading large groups to avoid a particular casino before. Last summer, during a contract dispute with Resorts Casino Hotel, it persuaded at least three convention groups to cancel, and also held many noisy protests at Resorts.

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