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Ontario Casino Workers Ready to Strike
Negotiations Underway: Ontario Casino Workers Ready to Strike
Strikes seem to go on a lot recently. In the US some casino workers in Atlantic City still haven’t had their demands met, and joining them are Ontario casino workers. The union is currently negotiating on their behalf with a plethora of casinos, but there’s still no end to them.
The recent crisis in Ukraine has caused the price of living which has prompted the casino workers to ask for better conditions. The negotiations are underway and the deadline is coming. There has been no feedback from the casinos so far which is why the workers in Ontario are preparing for a strike. How did it come to this?
The Cause
As mentioned above, the current crisis has affected the economies of the world. Inflation is running wild and people need a higher wage because they’re looking to survive. This effect is present in various areas of the economy and affects many industries, the casino industry included.
The Ontario workers have a union on their side and it is negotiating on their behalf with a host of casino venues. They have the workers’ interests in mind and represent them in the best way possible. But the other side is taking too long to respond which is why it was given a deadline. That deadline is fast approaching and there has been no response. That’s why Ontario casino workers are preparing for a strike.
Inevitable Strike if Demands Aren’t Met
Unifor is the union representing Ontario casino workers. It’s also one of the largest unions in the private sector in the country which means it’s responsible for over 1,800 workers. These workers are employed at 8 casinos across Canada.
The union is taking into account those workers that work in foods and beverage, guest service, maintenance, kitchen, and culinary as well as the workers that work table games, security cashiering, and slots. The demands are pretty simple and to the point.
Unifor is looking to increase wages and demand pensions and benefits for the workers. They’re also looking to convert some part-time jobs into full-time jobs. But there’s another side to the coin as there’s another aspect that’s the reason for this potential strike.
The Great Canadian Gaming Corporation was acquired by Apollo Asset Management in 2021. The management might not be looking to take any risks, but it has no other choice than to meet the workers’ demands.
This is because Unifor is responsible for over 1,500 casino workers from Casino Ajax, Great Blue Heron Casino, Pickering Casino Resort, Casino Woodbine, and others. It also represents 300 workers at Elements Casino Brantford as well as 30 security employees at Casino Mohawk. In short, the union has numbers on its side.
The deadline is approaching and there are 2 possible outcomes. In the first one, Ontario casino workers will go on strike and impact the operations at 8 casino venues until their demands are met. In the second one, the union reaches an agreement with the new management, and a favorable solution for both parties is found. Time will tell, what will happen in Ontario.
Conclusion
The bottom line is that the workers are the lifeblood of casino venues. They operate the tables, registers, and more at each establishment and make the casino successful. That’s why their demands should be met. Once they are, they would be better workers as they won’t have the pressure of making it through the month.
