Labor Unions Urge MD Assembly to Return for Summer Special Session on Gaming

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)A coalition of unions is urging the General Assembly and Governor O'Malley to return to the State House later this summer to move the state forward on gaming. Members of the Washington D.C. Building Trades Council, Unite Here Local 25 and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland said during a mid-May Annapolis press conference that the expansion of gaming discussed by the Senate and House of Delegates in the final days of the 90-day legislative session -- including the addition of table games to Maryland's gaming facilities and the addition of a sixth gaming location in Prince George's County -- would provide a significant boost to jobs and tax revenues for the state. "An expansion of gaming would help Maryland respond to all of those dollars from our state that have been flowing to Delaware, West Virginia and -- most recently -- Pennsylvania to fund their state and local budgets," said Vance Ayres, Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the D.C. Building Trades Council. "An expansion of gaming through a sixth casino location in Prince George's County and the addition of table games creates the structure for long-term revenue growth for Maryland," said Patrick Moran, director of AFSCME Maryland. "That means approving a referendum now, and putting it to the voters this fall." The Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center already employs 1,200 members of Unite Here Local 25, and John Boardman, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the local, said union members look forward to the creation of more good-paying jobs with benefits through a Prince George's County resort casino proposal. "The economic activity and jobs associated with an expansion of gaming are a key part of long-term revenue stability for Maryland," said Boardman. He added that construction of a Prince George's resort casino would create up to 2,000 union construction jobs and more than 5,000 permanent union jobs. "Thousands of new jobs means thousands of additional people paying taxes to Maryland and local governments," Boardman said. Click here for a 3-minute video from the 5/15 press conference.