WORKERS AT FOXWOODS WAITING TO BE LAID OFF

FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO OCTOBER 1, 2008

AFTER 10 OF THE LAST 11 MONTHS OF LOSES (2008), COMPARED TO THE EARNINGS THE YEAR BEFORE (2007), THE MASHANTUCKETS ARE TIGHTENING THEIR BELTS.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOTS, LORI POTTER SUPPOSEDLY SAID, "THE DECISION TO REDUCE OUR WORK FORCE WAS MADE AFTER MUCH DELIBERATION WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THE CASINOS ARE EXPERIENCING." SHE ALSO SUPPOSEDLY SAID, "GREAT CARE IS BEING MADE TO PRESERVE AS MANY TEAM MEMBERS AS POSSIBLE, AND 94 PERCENT OF OUR WORK FORCE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THIS ROUND OF LAYOFFS."

WITH THE OFFERED BUYOUTS OF 170 TRIBAL GOVERNMENT WORKERS, AND THE FUTURE LAYOFFS OF ANOTHER 700 CASINO WORKERS, THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT GOVERNMENT IS TRYING TRIM FORTY MILLION DOLLARS FROM ITS' BUDGET. WHEN FOXWOODS OPENED MGM GRAND HOTEL/CASINO THEY HIRED TWO THOUSAND (2,000) WORKERS. SO THE CASINO IS TRIMMING SIX PERCENT (6%) OF ITS' WORKERS. IN OTHER WORDS, FROM ABOUT AN ESTIMATED 11,500 WORKERS DOWN TO ABOUT TO TEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED (10,800) WORKERS.

THE MOHEGAN TRIBE (MTGA) RECENTLY STOPPED CONSTRUCTION OF THE EARTH TOWER (PROJECT HORIZON HOTEL.) IN MY OPINION, I EXPECT THAT THE MOHEGAN TRIBAL GAMING AUTHORITY (TRIBAL COUNCIL) WILL ALSO DO CUTBACKS AND LAYOFFS TO COMBAT THE EFFECTS OF THE ECONOMY.

I THINK BEFORE THEY DO THAT, THEY SHOULD CUT THEIR OWN SALARIES BY AT LEAST FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($50,000.00) EACH PER YEAR. IF THEY EXPECT OUR WORKERS TO MAKE POSSIBLE CONCESSIONS THEN THE TRIBAL COUNCIL SHOULD, TOO. REMEMBER THESE NINE PEOPLE MAKE AT LEAST $280,000.00 TO BETTER THAN $308,000.00. PLUS BENEFITS.

IF FOXWOODS AND THE MOHEGAN SUN ARE EXPERIENCING HARD ECONOMIC TIMES, AND THE SOLUTION AT FOXWOODS IS LAYOFFS, HOW FAR CAN THE MOHEGAN SUN BE BEHIND? WHAT DO YOU THINK?