May 2, 2022
Contact: press@no-smoke.org
UFCW Local 152 Announces Support for Eliminating Casino Smoking Loophole
16,000 Union Members Who Depend on a Strong South Jersey Economy Stand With Casino Workers Fighting to Protect Their Health
Atlantic City, NJ – Brian String, president of UFCW Local 152, which represents 16,000 retail, manufacturing and healthcare workers in South Jersey, Eastern PA and Delaware, today announced they are supporting legislation in Trenton to eliminate the casino smoking loophole in state law:
“Our members have been working on the front lines of the pandemic for the last two years. Our success depends on a vibrant South Jersey economy. But as we learned from the pandemic, if workers aren’t healthy, then the economy suffers,” said UFCW Local 152 President Brian String. “That’s why we’re proud to stand with the thousands of Atlantic City casino workers who are speaking out to eliminate the casino smoking loophole by passing the bipartisan S264/A2151. Our brothers and sisters deserve a smokefree work environment, period. Healthy casino workers will help the casinos succeed and fuel a thriving local economy – which benefits all of us here in New Jersey. We will do everything we can to ensure this bill advances in the legislature and lands on Governor Murphy’s desk. It’s been 16 years of waiting for casino workers to be treated like every other employee in our state. Now is the time to get this done.”
ABOUT UFCW Local 152
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 152 was founded in 2006 after the merging of other local unions and represents 16,000 workers in retail stores, healthcare facilities, manufacturing, the public sector and more across New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. UFCW Local 152’s purpose is and always will be the welfare of our workers. We will continue to maintain that all of our members have good jobs, safe working conditions, equal opportunities, good living wages, and secure pensions. By having a voice in the workplace, union members can improve working conditions for ourselves and the people we serve every day. A complete list of the businesses and facilities UFCW Local 152 represents can be viewed here.
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR NONSMOKERS’ RIGHTS
Americans for Nonsmoker’s Rights (ANR) is a member-supported, non-profit advocacy group that has been working for 45 years, since 1976, to protect everyone’s right to breathe nontoxic air in workplaces and public places, from offices and airplanes to restaurants, bars, and casinos. ANR has continuously shined a light on the tobacco industry’s interference with sound and life-saving public health measures and successfully protected 61% of the population with local or statewide smokefree workplace, restaurant, and bar laws. ANR aims to close gaps in smokefree protections for workers in all workplaces, including bars, music venues, casinos, and hotels. For more information, please visit https://no-smoke.org/ and https://smokefreecasinos.org/.
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