Thousands of Casino Workers Join Unifor

OCTOBER 2015 • EDITION 1
Thousands of Casino Workers Join Unifor
Hospitality and gaming workers across Ontario are turning to Unifor to improve working conditions and job security in
Ontario’s slots facilities and resort casinos. In recent months, workers at Casino Rama, OLG Slots at Ajax Downs, OLG
Casino Point Edward, and OLG Slots at Georgian Downs have voted in favour of joining Unifor. Their stories are below.
Casino Rama
On February 12, 2015, almost 1,800 workers at Casino
Rama in Orillia voted with an overwhelming 71% in
favour of Unifor representation “We are thrilled with the
results,” said Anna Joudrey, who has worked at Casino
Rama for ten years and was an active participant in the
organizing drive. Many workers said that while they value
their jobs and the role the casino plays in their
community, they felt that workplace standards have gone
downhill in recent years and they were especially
uncertain about the future of their jobs at the casino with
the threat of privatization at the OLG.
“When I heard about this campaign I decided to go to a
drop-in to get more information and I was struck by the
sense that this was all about workers coming together to
have a collective voice at work. It was incredibly positive
and for once I felt that we might have a shot at
improving our workplace,” said Joudrey.
The vote took place at Casino Rama and was
conducted by the Ontario Labour Relations Board
(OLRB). This was one of the largest successful
certification votes that has taken place in Canada in
over a decade, but most importantly, it was a huge
victory for Casino Rama workers.
At this time, the elected Unifor bargaining committee is
currently making great progress in negotiations with the
employer and is hoping to bring a final collective agreement
for the members to vote on in the very near future.
OLG Slots at Ajax Downs
More than 200 workers at Ajax Downs voted with a
resounding 67% in favour of joining Unifor. The vote
took place on June 1, 2015, after a campaign that was
led by a dedicated team of workers from within the
slots facility.
Due to concerns and uncertainty caused by
privatization at the OLG, workers in Ajax decided that
the time is now to protect and secure their future. Now,
this group of workers are set to begin negotiating a
legally binding collective agreement that will give them
a real voice in the workplace and ensure that they have
a say in their future. They join more than 8,000 casino
workers across the country.
OLG Casino Point Edward
On September 12, 2014, workers at the OLG Casino
Point Edward voted to join Unifor with 72% in favour.
The new Unifor bargaining unit represents about 220
workers, which is nearly everyone in the 14-year-old
casino, except security and management. Security
guards at the waterfront gaming facility have been
unionized for many years.
Georgian Downs
A total of 33 workers at OLG Slots at Georgian Downs in
Barrie, now members of Unifor Local 1090, chose to join
Unifor on January 16, 2015. These members provide
security services at this facility.
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About Unifor: the union for casino workers
Unifor represents more casino workers than any other union in Canada.
Along with our newest Unifor members in Orillia, Ajax, Point Edward and Barrie,
Unifor already represents members working in the following Ontario facilities under
the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation:
䡲 Caesar’s Windsor
䡲 Niagara Casinos (Security)
䡲 Great Blue Heron Gaming, Port Perry
䡲 OLG Slots at Sudbury Downs
䡲 OLG Casino Brantford
䡲 OLG Mohawk Slots (Security)
䡲 Woodbine Entertainment Group (Bartenders, Servers and Para-mutuals)
Unifor and casino workers: Stronger Together!
Unifor Niagara office welcomes you
Our doors are open! Come visit the Unifor Niagara office to speak
to an organizer, get more information and promotional materials.
The office is open:
Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The office is located at 5546 Robinson Street, (at Stanley) in
Niagara Falls. Call us anytime at 905-356-1584 or come visit!
Contact information
For more information, please contact one of our representatives
at the Unifor Niagara Office.
You can call the number above or e-mail:
Elaine White at elaine.white@unifor.org
Danny McBride at danny.mcbride@unifor.org
www.unifor.org/NiagaraCasinos
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www.facebook.com/NiagaraCasinosUnifor
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