OPINION: We are suffocating on the job, and our union doesn’t care

As a seasoned bartender and waitress in Atlantic City’s casinos, we’ve seen it all – sometimes leaving us breathless in more ways than one. From the highs of jackpot victories to the lows of fiery disputes, our job is to keep the drinks flowing and the patrons happy.

But there’s one issue that’s been clouding our workplace for far too long: secondhand smoke. For years, we’ve endured the haze, the smell, and the health risks that come with being surrounded by cigarette and cigar smoke. Despite efforts to confine smoking to designated areas, the truth is that toxic clouds don’t abide by invisible boundaries.