Hospitality Gaming

Unifor’s hospitality and gaming sector met virtually this past week to review the sector’s accomplishments and remaining economic challenges.

“Unifor warned that the hospitality and gaming sector would be hit first, hit hardest and take the longest to recover,” Unifor National President Jerry Dias told the council. “Sadly, what we predicted proved all too accurate.”

For the first year of COVID-19, virtually every gaming sector worker in the country was laid off. At hotels and restaurants, lay off rates were between 80% and 100%.

Workers at the Shorelines Casino in Peterborough have voted overwhelmingly to join Canada’s largest union for gaming workers, Unifor.

“After a very difficult year, casino workers want more control over their conditions of work,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Having a union gives workers an important voice and helps level the playing field with their employer.” 

BELLEVILLE—Wage and benefits enhancements are the highlights of a first collective agreement ratified today by Unifor Local 1090 members, ending their five-day strike at the Shorelines casino.

“Unifor is Canada’s union for gaming and hospitality workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “Shorelines Casino Belleville workers showed great solidarity and determination to win their first collective agreement.”

The ratification ends the strike action that began at 1:01 a.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021.

BELLEVILLE—Unifor members working at Belleville’s casino will vote Wednesday on ratification of a new tentative agreement.

“I am very impressed with the solidarity and activism of the Shorelines group in Belleville,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “The employer tried to test their determination, but our members stayed strong and succeeded in winning important gains.”

If ratified, the deal will end the strike action that began at 1:01 a.m. on Friday, October 22, 2021.

Details of the agreement will be release after ratification.

BELLEVILLE—At 1 a.m. a strike commenced at Shorelines Casino Belleville. Picket lines will be erected later in the morning.

Bargaining committees for Unifor Local 1090 and the employer worked late into the night to reach an agreement. Parties will resume meetings again on Friday, October 22 with the goal of resolving the dispute to resume casino operations.

TORONTO–Unifor Local 112 members at the Pan Pacific Toronto hotel ratified a new agreement with the employer by 100 per cent.

“Unifor is Canada’s union for hospitality workers,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “I’m extremely proud of the work our Local 112 bargaining committee did to secure a such a strong agreement in these challenging times.”

BELLEVILLE—As the midnight strike deadline approaches, Unifor Local 1090 members are making final preparations for a picket line that will effectively close operations at the Belleville casino.

“We know this large gaming employer can do better than wages near the legal minimum—just take a look at their other unionized facilities,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “If they want to test us before signing a first collective agreement for these workers, we’re ready.”