Most secondary issues have been resolved in productive discussions with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) on Thursday, but the most challenging negotiations are underway today, says Unifor.
“Unifor bargaining committees for eight casinos worked hard on Thursday to finalize many outstanding issues, paving the way for today’s heavy-lifting on monetary matters,” said Lana Payne, Unifor Secretary-Treasurer. “The momentum is a positive sign but we’re not out of the woods. We anticipate talks will go down to the wire tonight.”
Six of the eight GCGC properties are poised to strike at 12:01 a.m. Saturday if no agreement is reached.
The coordinated bargaining tables for Unifor members at GCGC properties are meeting this week in Toronto seeking improvements to wages, benefits, and pensions. Unifor negotiators are also trying to reduce the employer’s reliance on precarious part-time jobs.
Unifor Local 1090 represents approximately 1,500 gaming workers at six GCGC properties: Great Blue Heron Casino, Casino Woodbine, Pickering Casino Resort, Casino Ajax, Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, and Shorelines Casino Peterborough. All served strike notice for July 23 at 12:01 a.m.
Two more units have held successful strike votes and could serve strike notice during the next two weeks, Unifor Local 252 representing 30 security workers at Elements Casino Mohawk and Unifor Local 504 representing 300 workers at Elements Casino Brantford.
Local 504 also represents 275 workers at Elements Casino Mohawk (slots) and Elements Casino Flamboro with collective agreements that expire in fall 2022 and spring 2023 respectively.
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation was acquired by Apollo Global Management Inc (NYSE: APO) in September 2021.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
