Workers take their quest to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos to a higher court

Workers seeking to ban smoking in Atlantic City’s casinos are asking an appeals court to consider their request, saying a lower court judge who dismissed their lawsuit did so in error. The workers filed an appeal Friday of a judge’s dismissal of their lawsuit that sought to end smoking in the nine casinos. Judge Patrick Bartels said the workers’ claim that they have a Constitutional right to safety “is not well-settled law” and predicted they would not be likely to prevail with such a claim. The casinos oppose ending smoking, saying it would cost money and jobs. But workers, who deny those claims, say their health has to come first.