Tonawanda News

Local News

January 31, 2009

NIAGARA FALLS, ONT.: CAW applies to unionize casino workers

By Corey Larocque Niagara Falls, Ontario, Review

Within a week, 3,000 casino workers will choose to join the Canadian Auto Workers or continue working without a union as they have for 13 years.

The CAW filed an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board Wednesday to become the collective bargaining agent for front-line workers at Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Niagara.

A vote could be held as early as next Wednesday and Thursday. If a majority of the voters opt for the CAW, it would become the union for most of the casino’s 4,600 workers.

“This time, based on the momentum and the feedback, we feel we will get a mandate,” John Aman, the CAW’s organizing director, said Wednesday. The CAW’s latest drive has been under way since July 2008. The union’s several other attempts have failed.

Management and supervisors are not part of the group of workers the CAW is trying to certify. Security staff are also excluded because they're already represented by a different union. So-called “dual-rate” workers who work part of the week as dealers and part of the week as pit bosses would be included in the bargaining unit.

Casino management would prefer to deal with its employees directly than to negotiate through a union said Niagara Casinos spokesman Greg Medulun.

“Generally speaking, it's something we've been anticipating for some time,” Medulun said.

The salaries and benefits the casinos offer their workers have been sufficient to uphold the casinos' position as “an employer of choice in the Niagara region” for 12 years, Medulun said.

While CAW began as a union to represent workers in the automotive sector, it has branched out into other sectors, including gaming.

“Unions are looking for new revenue streams. Our workforce must look very attractive to them,” Medulun said. “Unions are like any other business. Business has to turn a profit. Profits are generated through the collection of union dues.”

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