More than 1,800 Ontario casino workers prepare to strike amid contract negotiations
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The union representing workers at eight Ontario casinos says members have voted to strike if new agreements cannot be brokered by Friday at midnight.
Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada, says the strike mandate covers 1,830 workers at eight Great Canadian Gaming Corporation locations, including Casino Woodbine in northwest Toronto.
"Casino employers have bounced back following the pandemic-related closures," said Lana Payne, Unifor national secretary-treasurer, in a news release.
"Our goal at the bargaining table is to share some of those gains with the workers who make casinos successful."
The agreement would affect Unifor members working at table games, slots, security, cashiering, food and beverage, kitchen and culinary, guest services, housekeeping, and maintenance.
The union says the bargaining teams have prioritized wages, benefits and pensions in negotiations and are also looking to convert part-time positions into full-time jobs.
Unifor represents about 1,500 gaming workers at the Great Blue Heron Casino, Casino Woodbine, Pickering Casino Resort, Casino Ajax, Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, and Shorelines Casino Peterborough.
The union also represents 30 security workers at Elements Casino Mohawk and 300 workers at Elements Casino Brantford, all of which fall under the ownership of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, which has 25 properties across four provinces, was acquired in September 2021 by Apollo Asset Management.
