Casino Workers

Cleaning the Facts

by Ricardo Aguirre

As humans, we naturally develop biases towards others, which can vary upon social class, race, or career. The stereotype of casino workers are very prominent, and it impacts the lives of casino workers. Although many of these stereotypes are true for the most part, there is a need to understand that these workers are trying to improve their lives. Through an analysis of working conditions and the stories of various types of casino workers, it becomes clear that no matter where one works or what social background we have, we are all chasing the same goals. Therefore, society needs to learn how to show more appreciation for the efforts of those in casino jobs.

The first impressions that we have of others are often the most rash. It happens almost automatically without us realizing that we are already judging somebody by their appearance. We can analyze another human by their actions, appearance, and their careers. However, crude assumptions are made, and it becomes clear that society has many biases upon different workers. I too held these beliefs, and I was under the impression that those working in the maintenance industry were of a lower social class. After a thorough investigation into the lives of casino workers, it became evident that these workers were doing the same things that I am currently doing. It amazed me how much these workers sacrifice in effort to improve their lives. It made me wonder, what else can society learn by looking into the lives of casino workers?

The biggest stereotype of housekeepers is that they are mostly Hispanic, and they are correct. For the purpose of this paper, we shall call the housekeeper “Maria”. Maria came to the United States to find work, and hopefully, live a comfortable life. However, as a non-English speaker, it was difficult to find a job. Maria’s main reason for taking a housekeeping job was to make money and get by. She recalls, "What really motivated me to get the job was the fact that it wasn't necessary to speak English. That influenced a lot of people to get this job." As a result, many non-English speakers became housekeepers.

R: What were the ethnicities of your co-workers?

M: Mostly everybody was Hispanic. Other races would use the job for different reasons. Asians would come in so that they could later on request a transfer into another department. Whites and blacks would come and go. I think that there are mostly Hispanics because we don’t have any other job opportunity available to us.

Working conditions for housemaids are difficult. In an interview with Maria, it became clear that the necessity to work proved to be the primary reason for tolerating harsh working conditions.

R: How were the working conditions?

M: First of all, I needed to work, and at that time I needed any money I could find. It wasn’t too bad, because I was given the opportunity to clean the penthouses. However, when I became pregnant, I had to work every single day. I got off of work and went straight to the hospital to give birth. Then, I had to return within a month.

R: Was this common?

M: Practically every housemaid did it (Escobar, Maria ).

Housemaids are heavily underappreciated for their efforts. Society is caught up in its own movement, and as a result, society fails to realize that they receive great customer service throughout the whole gambling experience, but it comes at the cost of another human, who is trying to simply get by in life.

The relation between the house maids and the clients is minimal. Maids are responsible for making sure that the rooms are clean and stocked with fresh towels and other necessities. In that short time frame, the maid is able to understand more about the client than the client will ever know about the maid. “You could tell when a family arrived because there were toys scattered around the room. The richer people left their rooms cleaner, while average customers left a mess. The elite would always get a penthouse, and we saw what luxurious lives they lived. We cleaned everything up from rattlers to wine. We helped everybody.” The maid works with all members of society and is able to understand them simply by the condition of the room. What understanding does the client have of the maid’s life? This relationship is most definitely a one way street. If anything, the client only understands the image of the casino, not the effort of its workers. It is all too common to forget about the working conditions of casino workers, which is very demanding.

This is not to chastise those who are traveling. It is normal for clients and housekeepers to have no interaction. In fact, it is often awkward if there is any interaction. However, the manner in which society perceives housekeepers can be often times crude. It is always important to keep in mind that these workers are human being, just like you and me. Similarly, they are also trying to lead a happy life. Is it necessary to interact with housekeepers? Absolutely not, but the best thing that we can do is understand that they are just like anybody else, and should be treated as such.

There was a competitive atmosphere among the workers, where the elite work in relatively better conditions than those below them. A workers performance determined the rooms they had to clean. If a worker was slow, they had to stick to the regular rooms. The "elite" housekeepers were sent to clean the penthouses, where they worked in groups of five. In order to time the maids, competitions were held, which involved straightening beds, arranging supplies, and vacuuming.

R: How were these competitions held?

M: We were given a certain task, and we had to finish it as fast as we could.

R: What was your time?

M: I finished in 35 seconds. That involves making a bed, making sure that the sheets were tight, setting up all the bathroom supplies. Fortunately we didn't have to vacuum, because I was the absolute worse.

R: What happened to the slower workers?

M: They went to the tunnel.

The slower workers were forced to clean the hardest part of the entire casino. She described to me that there was a long hallway filled with many rooms. Each room had several beds they had to clean up. These were the cheap rooms of the hotels, and it was evident in how dirty and disorganized the rooms were. She emphasized how difficult it was to work in the tunnel, and told me that the only time she did not finish her mandated 15 rooms was when she worked in the tunnel.

Housekeepers tend to be looked down upon, because they have a job that is very undesirable. However, it is a crucial job that needs to be done, and that is a fact that should not be overlooked.

R: What is one thing that you wished society understood about housekeepers?

M: We are just workers like everyone else. We may not make as much money, but we are just like anyone else. We are also trying to raise our families and pay the bills. We work hard in this job in the hopes that our kids will do something better in their lives.

There is no difference between the mindsets of those working in offices and those cleaning them. We dream the same things and want the same things. We all want something better for our lives. We should be more understanding and respectful to these workers, because they have to perform the duties nobody wants to do. Is there anything we can do about their working conditions? Unfortunately, no. However, we can understand their lives and their efforts to live a good life, and that is enough to suffice.

The main motivation for people to work in these conditions is money. For Maria, the necessity to make money was her reason for tolerating the working conditions. Another maid by the name of Shirley Robinson demonstrates that money was also her reason for working. Since the pay tends to be low, it is often seen that many workers take on two jobs in order to pay bills and live comfortably. “Somebody in their family is working two jobs. It’s the only way they can make it.” Shirley came from Louisiana for work, and she found it at the Circus Circus. Since the Circus Circus had relatively cheaper rooms, people would leave bigger messes. However, they still expected the maids to work above and beyond their expectations. She recalls a customer that would check for dust in the room, to which he proclaimed, “you did a very good job, but there was dust behind the back of the toilet seat.” The expectations of the maids are very clear, yet clients, according to Shirley, treat the maids as personal servants. “I work for Circus Circus. I don’t pick up your clothes.” Through Shirley, it is also found that many workers tolerate conditions because it is the only job they can get. Shirley has also reported that prior to worker unions, maids would be fired at any time (Miller, Kit). While working, the Circus Circus was the only casino to have a union, which would defend their jobs. Imagine going to work one day, without knowing if you would return the next. Imagine the fear that boils within oneself when there is no guarantee of money. The position she holds is strong, and it is clear that casino workers are at the end of short sticks when it comes to job retention.

Similar to Maria, she also works so that her family can have a better life. Maria had two kids. One in college, and the other in elementary school. At the time of the interview, Shirley’s daughter was looking for a university to attend. These are both hard working people that want their kids to have a better future. Society has held a negative impression of casino workers, but Shirley states, “You’re as good as everyone else.” Like Maria, Shirley truly believes that the job we have should not define who we are in life. Everybody has different paths, so why should society look down upon casino workers? Thus, while it is difficult to change the impression of casino workers, it is easy to understand that they are going through the same struggles as everyone else.

These problems are shared among all types of casino workers. Ellie Hays was a pit boss in Reno, and she was in charge of controlling all of the games on the floors. Ironically, she hates gambling. However, she has demonstrated that she hates gambling, because it creates an addiction. It is important to note that Ellie was an alcoholic, so she knows how bad addictions can become. Not only is the casino industry bad for gamblers, but it is also bad for the workers. “The bulk of our people are probably paid below poverty level and that’s the way it is across the industry.” It is well known that casino workers are paid relatively little, and this is a fact that Ellie has learned to accept. She may not be able to change the system of casino workers, but she has made as much of an impact as she can. Ellie is a practicing catholic, and she loves to go on missions. This is her way of giving back to other people so that they can live a better life (Miller, Kit). While it may not be much, she is contributing her share of change in this world, and that is something that we should all aspire to do.

Religion tends to define moral boundaries for many people. The Catholic Church had established its position on gambling, labeling it sinful. Also, the church viewed gambling as “a vice that could destroy families and communities.” (Parmley, Suzette ). By association, casino workers would be engaging in sinful activities as well, because they are assisting gamblers. However, in a recent newspaper article, it is shown that the church is supporting those working in casinos. The reason being that many members depend on casinos for stable jobs. However, while the church is supportive of its casino workers, the church is still encouraging members to change to another line of work when the opportunity arises. Ellie believes that gambling is a sin, but it is simply something that will not go away. For her, gambling is just another aspect of life that she knows society will not get rid of. Also, she depends on gambling in order to put food on the table. Likewise, Maria grew up in a religious family, but she wanted to work because she needed money. In this case, Maria’s religious boundaries were completely overshadowed by the need to work. Both Ellie and Maria were being looked down upon by their own church. However, the same way that the church has come to accept the casino industry, society should be able to accept that casino workers are going through the same struggles as everyone else. One can see that religion may be a strong impact in our moral standards, but the need to work will overshadow this holy boundary.

At the same time, casinos should not be blamed for the treatment of workers. Casinos are creating jobs, and they are helping the economy grow. Maria Petersen came from El Salvador in the hopes of finding a job. She recalls many people returning from the United States to tell her of the vast opportunities available. “In the United States, if you are on the street, people put you to work, and they pay you good.” This viewpoint is also shared by Maria, who also came to the United States in the hopes of making better money. Maria claims that, “you always hear good things about the United States, never bad things. In my home country, we could never work our way up the social ladder, but you can in America.” (Miller, Kit). This explains why many workers are foreigners that do not understand or speak English. There is always a good impression of the United States, but when immigrants arrive, it is difficult to find a job. However, casinos open the door to the job market for many non-English speakers. The median salary for housekeepers was $19,570 (Maid and Housekeeper: Salary.). Factor in the lack of workers unions and it becomes apparent that jobs are hard to maintain (Cross, V). Thus, it is clear that casinos create jobs, but they do not create very secure and steady jobs.

Not all workers have bad experiences with casinos. Art Gonzales is a cleaning specialist, and he cares little about what others think of his line of work. “I don’t worry that people might think, ‘Oh, he’s just a floor sweeper.’ I am only thinking about my little plan.” He came from the Philippines, and he had family in Reno. These were his greatest factors for coming to Reno in the first place. Once he was here, he began to work at a casino. He was very welcomed though, because most of his coworkers were other Filipinos, so he could continue to speak Tagalog and still follow bits and pieces of his culture. He has a family, and they are living comfortably. Since his daughter does not speak Tagalog, Art’s culture is going to be lost in the next generation, and it is depressing. In addition, Maria also has the same issue. She said in a concerning tone, “I’m worried that my children will forget what I sacrificed so that they can live a better life. If it weren’t for my sacrifice and efforts, who knows where they would be?” (Miller, Kit ). For many workers, these lower end jobs are not the most honorable line of work, but they give the children of workers a foundation to grow upon. Working in a casino can be difficult, but sometimes it is the only job available, and in times of need, not working is even worse, especially when one is responsible for children.

While the casino workers had different viewpoints on casinos, the common trend among all of them is that the need to work is the main motivation for tolerating the working conditions. Most of these workers came from another country in the hopes of improving their lives. Casinos were growing at the time they arrived in the United States, so most job opportunities were in casinos. After a thorough analysis of the workers, it becomes clear that the working conditions are incredibly better. In their home countries, it is difficult to hold on to any job, and pay is very low, especially in rural areas. We perceive their working conditions as harsh, but the reality is, they are more than happy to work, because it gives them the chance to live comfortably. Imagine living in a rural area where the average income is at or below poverty level. How would you start saving for your childs education? Are you willing to work your life away? For people in these countries, they do not even think about saving for college tuition, because they are too busy trying to put scraps on the table. When foreigners arrive in the United States, they notice that the pay is better, food is secure, and they might begin to think about their children’s future. Our American standards are held so high that we consider these working conditions harsh, but for those traveling from other countries, these jobs are an opportunity to create a family and live a better life.

These viewpoints compare lifestyles in different countries. There are different working, social, and cultural standards. While it may be true that these jobs allow workers to live comfortably in the United States, they are still receiving the short end of the stick. According to our standards, there should be a better system, which enforces job security and employee treatment. For example, Maria returned to work a month after giving birth. This should never be how a company treats their employee. Shirley mentioned how maids could be fired at any moment. How is a person to work comfortably without knowing that their job is secure? There are many issues that arise when examining working conditions for casino workers. Even if these conditions are better than those of their home countries, companies have a set of standards that they should follow.

First impressions are everything. It can be the difference between getting a dream job and being turned away. First impressions allow us to generally assess a person, but as a consequence, we tend to make harsh assumptions. These workers are people with dreams and aspirations just like everyone else. It can be assumed that everybody shares these common desires to live a better life, from the person working a drive thru to the CEO of Microsoft. We are all human, and it is unbelievable to believe that a first impression can lead to such radical perceptions. Now that the perception of casino workers has been lifted, it is easier to understand their struggles. Through the various investigation of prior workers, hopefully society has been swayed to stop judging people and make an effort to understand them instead.

Works Cited

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