Auto union boss urges New Jersey lawmakers to pass casino smoking ban
Shawn Fain, the international president of the United Auto Workers union, recently won large raises for his workers
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Shawn Fain, the international president of the United Auto Workers union who recently won large raises for his workers, is taking aim at a new target: New Jersey lawmakers who are delaying votes on a bill to ban smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos.
The head of the powerful union, which represents workers at three casinos here, is urging legislators to move the bill forward in a scheduled hearing Thursday, warning that the union will “monitor and track” their votes.
Many casino workers have been pushing for three years to close a loophole in the state's public smoking law that specifically exempts casinos from a ban. Despite overwhelming bipartisan support from lawmakers, and a promise from the state's Democratic governor to sign the measure, it has been bottled up in state government committees without a vote to move it forward.
The same state Senate committee that failed to vote on the bill last month is due to try again on Thursday. Fain's letter to the state Senate and Assembly was timed to the upcoming hearing.
