Were No Taj Employees Worthy of A.C. Host Awards?

The best of Atlantic City's casino industry were recognized on Wednesday night during the 2015 A.C. Host Awards held at Boardwalk Hall.

Excellent servers, valets, hosts, bartenders and other gaming employees from casinos and businesses around the city were honored - except for those from Trump Taj Mahal.

Is it possible that none of the hundreds of Taj employees were deserving of recognition this year? Doubtful.

In a year when Taj Mahal employees dealt with months of persistent rumors of the casino's closing, followed by the lose of their pension and health benefits as a concession for the casino remaining open, these workers are worthy of an award just for their endurance.

A CRDA statement Thursday said the Taj Mahal had declined to nominate any of their employees for the A.C. Host Awards this year.

Local 54 UNITE HERE Union President Bob McDevitt also issued a statement blasting Taj management's failure to nominate anyone from the casino for an award, including for the Ray Kot Award for outstanding service by a casino-games worker. Kot was the Taj supervisor fatally shot in the casino in 2009.

My guess is this decision not to participate in the A.C. Host Awards is another snub in the ongoing battle between the casino and Local 54.

But what about the moral of these workers? And isn't it simply a good policy to trumpet the qualities of your best employees to the rest of the industry? Shouldn't what's most important be how proud you are of those who make your business worthy of your customer's patronage?