Dealer’s advice, “Don’t be a Dealer”

[Dol Bil Tink]

I’m with my teammate at a $10 table in a NJ Casino and we’re actually doing quite well. The dealer is fast and accurate prompting one of the players to ask her how long she had been dealing. “16 damn years” she answered. This began a battery of ravings and rants directed toward the casino management that seemed never-ending. This was one disgruntled employee that was going to be sure everyone knew it.
I was more interested in tracking my partners signals than listening to her. However, some of what she said was that she found the job dehumanizing, demoralizing, humiliating and boring. Some of the males at the table actually began sympathizing with her, until one asked what the financial compensation was for all of this inhumane treatment. She answered, “my base pay is ONLY $31 per hour.” The table fell silent for the remainder of the shoe.

My questions for the dealers out there are:
1. Do dealers really make that much and what is the potential when shift differentials and tips are added in?
2. Several of the pit crew walked past during her loud protests but seemed more interested in me playing black chips at a $10 table then calming her down. Shouldn’t they have taken her aside and told her to tell her story walking?
3. Could the pit have encouraged her to do this to disrupt my concentration?

[Both_Barrels]

Well, from what I've heard, dealers mostly make minimum wage plus tips, so her comments sound a little strange.

As for the pit encouraging this... I'm sure they wouldn't want an employee telling you how much they suck just to throw you off your game. I'd say no.

[NYB]

Dealers in AC are union. I'd assume they get annual pay increases,plus they get night differential,ect,ect.Stay on any union job 16 years and you'll make a nice penny. I don't know about $31 an hour base pay though.Thats 60K before tips and overtime.
Whatever they are paying her,it sounds like they have a very disgruntled worker on their hands.

[LeonShuffle]

Dealers in A.C. are NOT union. Base pay is about $4 per hour. Tokes are split evenly among all floor dealers. Every night, all the toke boxes are dumped on to a crap table and counted by members of the "toke committee". A weekly "toke rate" is set and included in the following week's pay. The Borgata is the only casino that sets the rate daily instead of weekly. The hourly toke rate can range anywhere from about $13/hour to $35/hour depending on how busy it's been and which casino. The Borgata consistently has the highest toke rate but they do not hire "break-in" dealers. Poker dealers are the only ones who keep their own tips.

[NYB]

You sure the dealers in AC aren't union? Every other position there seems to be.