Cocktail waitresses at Caesars Entertainment’s Atlantic City casinos are protesting the introduction of a new automated drink ordering system.
The system allows patrons on the casino floor to order drinks, which are then served by the waitresses. The system reduces contact between the customers and waitresses.
According to a report at Casino.org news, casino officials say the system is more efficient and allows gamblers to play rather than wait for drinks.
The waitresses, however, say that with less contact with customers, it becomes harder to determine if patrons are drunk and should be cut off.
The waitresses have delivered a petition to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. The petition requests that the department examine potential problems with the system. The waitresses are all employed by Caesars Entertainment-owned properties, including Bally’s Atlantic City, Caesars Atlantic City, and Harrah’s Atlantic City, the report said.
Officials for Local 54 of the Unite Here Union—the city’s largest casino workers union—said they support the petition
“All of these cocktail waitresses have extensive training in identifying when people are inebriated so they can cut them off,” Ben Begleiter, research analysts for the union told Casino.org. “They have extensive training in slowing down how often they bring drinks so that people don’t become overly intoxicated. Now they don’t have the ability to do any of that.”
Caesars Entertainment officials did not comment for the report.
