'A shameful attack': Flamborough casino workers picket after being locked out
Security workers at Elements Casino Flamborough are picketing after being locked out by Great Canadian Gaming amid collective bargaining negotiations.
United Steelworkers union District 6 director Kevon Stewart said the workers have been locked out since Feb. 25 and are picketing at Elements Casino Brantford. He said they are not picketing at the Flamborough site, as it is still closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
We're starting now to do our strategic campaign, picketing and getting the word out there," he said.
In a release, the USW said the lockout is a brazen attempt to cut paid sick leave and weaken working conditions.
This is a shameful attack on workers and families who are already suffering the effects of the pandemic," USW Ontario director Marty Warren said in the release. This corporation is deliberately exploiting the upheaval caused by the pandemic. It is provoking a labour dispute to try to impose cuts to sick leave and other benefits on workers."
In a statement provided to the Review by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation's executive vice-president Chuck Keeling, the company said it would not comment on the status of the negotiations out of respect for our team members and the United Steelworkers union."
The bargaining unit is comprised of 14 team members, and we remain steadfastly committed to returning to negotiations with the goal of achieving a collective agreement," the statement continued. Other than a seven week period in the fall with significant restrictions in place, Elements Casino Flamboro has been closed since mid-March 2020 due to COVID-19; when it is deemed safe to do so, we are eager to reopen the property to welcome back our guests, while creating significant employment opportunities for the region."
Great Canadian purchased the Flamborough casino, as well as 10 others in Ontario in 2018.
Stewart said following Great Canadian's takeover of the casino, workers voted to join the USW in 2019 and have been seeking to negotiate a collective agreement ever since, but have been met with demands for concessions. According to the USW, the workers have not had a wage increase since 2018.
He said when the workers first organized there were about 30 members - but the numbers have dwindled to 14.
Part of that was the employer's position when (the casino) opened under the restricted capacity; they implemented a shift that was never there prior to certification - 2 a.m. to 10 a.m.," he said, noting the pandemic also played a role. That had some impact on our workers because of child obligations - it wasn't a fit for a work-life balance, so we lost one or two employees from that."
A hearing with the Ontario Labour Relations board is scheduled for April 15 on an unfair labour practice complaint filed by the USW alleging Great Canadian illegally changed working conditions after the security workers joined the union.
Stewart said hearing is connected to the bargaining process, but it's not related to the lockout. He said the union plans to continue to picket until Great Canadian decides to come back to the table.
As it sits right now, (Great Canadian) made it clear to us that regardless of the provincial lockdown, if that eases and they choose to open up their facility at Flamborough, that our security officers will not be called back until an agreement is reached," he said. So clearly, they intend to use replacement workers."