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Casino Employees Against Smoking Effects (CEASE) Atlantic City casinos. One of them is making the health and safety of casino employees a top priority.
U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) won the Democratic gubernatorial primary earlier this week. She told the Press of Atlantic City that she is “committed to protecting the health and safety of our casino workers throughout Atlantic City.” Sherrill went on to add:
“It is unacceptable to force working families to make a choice between earning their paycheck and protecting their health, particularly given that we know lung cancer is the top cause of cancer deaths in New Jersey.
“Within this conversation, we also must focus on economic development within Atlantic City.”
CEASE thanks Rep. Sherrill
The health and safety of casino workers is certainly important to Rep. Sherrill. However, it appears as if she has not fully ed a full smoking ban inside casinos.
Sherrill has floated the idea of ing employees while also finding “common ground” with casinos. She also “questioned why there is a fight to allow smoking – something she feels hurts the city’s ability to attract the next generation,” according to ROI-NJ.
Perhaps her statement earlier this week is a step in the right direction, especially for CEASE. Pete Naccarelli, longtime Atlantic City table games dealer and CEASE co-founder, said in a statement emailed to PlayNJ on Friday:
“We thank Rep. Sherrill for recognizing the situation we are in is unacceptable. Protecting workers’ health means getting smoking out of casinos, period.
“We need our next governor to take a firm stance without wavering. So-called compromises like smaller smoking sections, smoking rooms, and better ventilation will still leave workers exposed to toxic secondhand smoke, no matter what casinos say. We shouldn’t have to compromise on our lives.
“We look forward to continuing this dialogue with her on the issue.”
Ciattarelli re-confirms stance
Former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli won the Republican gubernatorial primary earlier this week. His stance on casinos allowing smoking should be up to the properties themselves.
Ciattaralli’s position has not changed much. His campaign told the Press of Atlantic City:
“Jack believes this decision should be left up to the employers and the employee unions. At the end of the day, if there are employees who don’t want to work in the smoking section it’s at that point in time the casinos will have to address it.
“Jack will continue to keep an open mind and he looks forward to further conversations with all the stakeholders.”
Ciattaralli’s statement is not up to snuff, according to CEASE, who have, for years, stated the dangers of employees working in smoke-filled air. Naccarelli said the following about Republican candidate:
“We hope to speak to former Assemblyman Ciattarelli soon to help him understand what workers face and ask him to declare his if he wants to be our next governor.”
The new governor is slated to take over for Gov. Phil Murphy in November.
