It first started last month with hundreds of workers signing a petition, demanding their employer, Caesars Southern Indiana in Elizabeth, Indiana, to better enforce its mask policy.
But since then, workers didn't see drastic improvements in closing the loopholes—guests would hold up their drinks or cigarettes so they won't have to wear masks — and took their frustration to downtown New Albany on Wednesday.
More than 40 casino employees held a car caravan demanding changes — prohibiting indoor smoking and seeking better health insurance and wages — and asking for public support.
Suite 344 New Albany, Indiana 47150 phone (812) 945-4332 fax (812) 945-4334 e-mail staff@caesarsfoundationfc.org. 506 W Spring St, New Albany, IN 47150. Book Now and Save. Holiday Inn Express.
'It's important that we're going out into the community because I feel like this impacts the community,' said Anjila Gaudet, a slot attendant. 'We have insurance in our workplace that is really ineffective and because of that a lot of the workers are not able to get the medical (help) that we need. We either won't go and get the doctor's visit that we need or we won't miss work when we need to.'
© Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal Stuart Mora, left, of Unite Here, gave instructions to protesting Indiana casino workers just before they drove around New Albany in a car caravan to demand better working conditions on Aug. 12, 2020.Gaudet said 16 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus since July 1, when the petition was submitted to the management. The Harrison County Health Department confirmed the casino had 16 cases of COVID-19.
Related: Hundreds of Caesars employees sign petition to demand safety changes
© Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal Anjila Gaudet, a slot attendant at Caesar's casino, wrote a sign on a car windshield just before they drove around New Albany in a car caravan to demand better working conditions on Aug. 12, 2020.While it's difficult to correlate the confirmed cases to Caesars Southern Indiana protocols, workers believe a preventive measure would make them feel safe.
Caesars New Albany Indiana
'The only word I can come up with for that is enraging,' Gaudet said.
The employees drove around downtown, mainly on State Street, bringing public awareness of their concerns. A few New Albany police officers were at the scene and asked them to be respectful. Many workers had signs on their cars with statements such as 'Don't gamble with workers,' 'Fair wages,' and 'Mask more, smoke less.'
'It's an indoor park for grown-ups. Without the public support, the employees are hard to get the company to really pay attention,' said Elizabeth Colgan, a cocktail server. 'Not only do we need the company to enforce the policies and to support us, but we also need the public who goes on a regular basis to understand and support us.'
Colgan still hasn't been able to return to work from a furlough and believes she won't be able to until the pandemic is more much mitigated. Even if she returns now, she said she'd be afraid to go to work.
Some workers noted that the general mask enforcement has been better since they signed the petition. But the loopholes expose many workers to open air and potentially COVID-19. Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts announced in late June that guests in all of its properties must wear face coverings at all times unless they're eating and drinking.
Farewell: Caesars riverboat Glory of Rome sets sail for new home in Alabama
'It's important that we're going out into the community because I feel like this impacts the community,' said Anjila Gaudet, a slot attendant. 'We have insurance in our workplace that is really ineffective and because of that a lot of the workers are not able to get the medical (help) that we need. We either won't go and get the doctor's visit that we need or we won't miss work when we need to.'
© Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal Stuart Mora, left, of Unite Here, gave instructions to protesting Indiana casino workers just before they drove around New Albany in a car caravan to demand better working conditions on Aug. 12, 2020.Gaudet said 16 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus since July 1, when the petition was submitted to the management. The Harrison County Health Department confirmed the casino had 16 cases of COVID-19.
Related: Hundreds of Caesars employees sign petition to demand safety changes
© Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal Anjila Gaudet, a slot attendant at Caesar's casino, wrote a sign on a car windshield just before they drove around New Albany in a car caravan to demand better working conditions on Aug. 12, 2020.While it's difficult to correlate the confirmed cases to Caesars Southern Indiana protocols, workers believe a preventive measure would make them feel safe.
Caesars New Albany Indiana
'The only word I can come up with for that is enraging,' Gaudet said.
The employees drove around downtown, mainly on State Street, bringing public awareness of their concerns. A few New Albany police officers were at the scene and asked them to be respectful. Many workers had signs on their cars with statements such as 'Don't gamble with workers,' 'Fair wages,' and 'Mask more, smoke less.'
'It's an indoor park for grown-ups. Without the public support, the employees are hard to get the company to really pay attention,' said Elizabeth Colgan, a cocktail server. 'Not only do we need the company to enforce the policies and to support us, but we also need the public who goes on a regular basis to understand and support us.'
Colgan still hasn't been able to return to work from a furlough and believes she won't be able to until the pandemic is more much mitigated. Even if she returns now, she said she'd be afraid to go to work.
Some workers noted that the general mask enforcement has been better since they signed the petition. But the loopholes expose many workers to open air and potentially COVID-19. Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts announced in late June that guests in all of its properties must wear face coverings at all times unless they're eating and drinking.
Farewell: Caesars riverboat Glory of Rome sets sail for new home in Alabama
© Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal Indiana casino workers created signs just before they drove around New Albany in a car caravan to demand better working conditions on Aug. 12, 2020.The guidelines released by Caesars Southern Indiana upon reopening states that 'smoking at table games will not be permitted' but does not mention any other location.
'I do give the company credit on their actions on mask enforcement,' bartender David Butsch said. 'My wife is in health care. I hear way too many stories of people who have had COVID, and it's awful. Too many of our guests take advantage of the smoking loophole and are not wearing their masks while they're smoking. They'll hold a cigarette and use that as their excuse for not having a mask on.'
Gaudet said asking guests to put on a mask 'is a joke' because they would simply point to their drinks or cigarettes. And because of poor health insurance, employees aren't seeing their doctors out of financial concerns.
'In the midst of the pandemic, this should concern our community,' she said. 'That should cause them to stop if they feel like it's safe to go into the casino at this point. We want them to feel safe going there, but that's a concern.'
See also: Indiana school districts implement safety plans on first day of class
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David J. Kim: DKim@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @_DavidJKim. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Caesars Southern Indiana workers demand better working conditions in downtown caravan
