Long-time union efforts to ban smoking in NJ casinos now gaining bipartisan support

SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Republicans in Trenton now say they’ll get behind efforts to ban smoking at Atlantic City casinos, joining some union workers who have been fighting for years to end smoking.

A bill to ban smoking at casinos hasn’t been brought to a full vote yet but Republicans say they will join the Democrats in favor of the ban to provide the votes needed to end it once and for all. Previous efforts have failed in the Democratic-controlled legislature.

This was a welcome surprise for United Auto Workers Union Region 9 Director Daniel Vicente.

“We did not think that we’d be sitting down with the Republican Party leadership in New Jersey and discussing progressive, pro-worker safety measures,” he said. “But again, we will work with whoever has the backs of working people.”

The UAW represents some, but not all casino workers. Another union, Unite Here Local 54, has consistently said banning smoking will kill business, thus leading to substantial job loss. They have not responded to our request for comment.

Vicente disagrees with the business-killing assessment and he said recent studies show more people would visit if there were no smoking at all.

The smoking ban legislation received health committee approval in Trenton earlier this year but the bill has not been scheduled for a full vote.