Union: 4 Atlantic City casinos not cleaning rooms daily

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — A union representing housekeeping workers at Atlantic City's casinos says four of the resorts are not complying with a COVID-related requirement that hotel rooms be cleaned daily, and called Wednesday for the state to intervene.

Local 54 of the Unite Here union said state officials need to enforce an order issued in 2020 by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy requiring hotel rooms to be cleaned and sanitized daily. The rule was issued as the casinos reopened after a 3 1/2-month shutdown at the onset of the pandemic.

The union filed a complaint Wednesday with the state Department of Community Affairs accusing Caesars, Harrah's, Tropicana and the Golden Nugget of failing to clean each occupied hotel room each day as required by the order, which the state health department confirmed remains in effect.

The community affairs department had no immediate comment on the union letter.

“These folks in housekeeping in Atlantic City are just one part of a larger workforce that is systematically overworked and understaffed,” said Bob McDevitt, the union president who is in the midst of talks with the nine Atlantic City casinos for a contract to replace the ones that expired at the end of last month.

The union presented claims by several housekeepers that there are not enough workers to keep up with the demand to clean each room each day. The workers said their employers directed them to clean rooms where guests are checking out as a priority.

Teresa Lopez, a housekeeper at Caesars, said the added workload of cleaning dirtier rooms where trash has accumulated for several days is taking a toll on her health.

“I feel more pain after cleaning these rooms; I have to take pain medicine,” she said at a press conference on the Boardwalk outside the casino.

She and Bina...