States Help Unemployed Casino Staff as Recession Hits Gambling Markets

All across the country state departments are helping casino workers get back to work.

According to the Selma Times-Journal, “On Monday Gov. Bob Riley said the state Department of Industrial Relations will have special locations today and Wednesday in Dallas, Macon and Houston counties to help workers laid off from White Hall Entertainment Center, VictoryLand and Country Crossing.

State Industrial Relations Director Tom Surtees said his staff will be on hand to help workers file for unemployment compensation and to determine if they are eligible for other benefits.”

Donny Chia commented, “Simply banning something in the state is not enough. One needs to look at the other side of the story also. It is not about stopping and giving moral lessons to those who love to play casino games or gambling. Lots of issues need to be looked at before banning or shutting down casinos.

What about those who were employed in the casinos that were banned? Who will provide them money, and what would they do? One man’s moral regarding gambling cannot snatch the right of another to earn a living from it. Something similar to that happened. Just few days back the State Troops raided the casinos in VictoryLand, Country Crossing and White Hall Entertainment Center, which they consider illegal casinos. And they are closed till the bill that has been passed for debate in the House and Senate comes out with a result.

If the bill gets approval of the senate and gets approval of by people’s vote, then the casino workers can get back to work, and if not they would have to seek something alternative. However the Alabama Governor, Mr. Bob Riley, confirmed that the state will provide assistance to lay off casino workers and find some alternative employment for them.

Riley said the State Department of Industrial Relations would look after the matter and by Tuesday and Wednesday it would try to help the workers of these casinos at Macon, Houston and Dallas. Riley said, “We will do everything possible to help these Alabamians receive the assistance they need. When employees are laid off, the Rapid Response Team provides help with unemployment assistance, health insurance needs, job training and locating new job opportunities.”

Director of State Industrial Relations Mr. Tom Surtees also confirmed the reports and said that his staff would provide a helping hand to help the workers file for unemployment compensations and also they would look into matter where they would fit some other benefits from this unemployment.

The locations where the Casino workers can seek help are Center for Economic & Workforce Development at Wallace Community College, Tuskegee Armory, and also at the Alabama State Trooper Training Facility in Selma. Democratic Lawmakers and casino operators blamed Riley for creating more unemployment during the time of economic crisis and massive unemployment in the state.

Governor Riley and his Task Force have worked really hard to shut down the illegal casinos at Lowndes, Macon and Houston counties respectively. After that he is now on the mission to assist hundreds of unemployed people who are out of work because of shut down of these casinos by sending the Rapid Response Team to these locations.

Usually the Industrial Relations Department of Alabama is there for helping workers when employers announce layoffs and Riley assured that similar assistance would be provided to those who lost their jobs in this raid where casinos have been closed.

A battle is going over between the casino owners and Gov. Riley over the electronic bingo. The Governor argues that the machines for Bingo are illegal while the owners believe they are allowed due to amendments in the constitution recently. The committee has sent the bill for debate in the senate after hearing on Tuesday and expects a decision would be taken soon. The officials of the casinos are positive about opening the closed doors eventually.”

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