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Casino Rama employees vote 72% in favour of new pact

Average wage increases will be 10% over three years
2019-01-13 rama strike vote 1
Corey Dalton, president of Unifor Local 1090, right, talks to Casino Rama union members during a strike vote held earlier this month. Contributed photo

With frigid temperatures  on the horizon, unionized Casino Rama workers won’t have to find their warmest winter garb and hit the picket line.

Instead, the nearly 1,400 members of Unifor Local 1090 will be working in the warmer confines of the casino and its hotel after ratifying an agreement late Saturday night following a 15-hour information and voting session held throughout the day at an Orillia hotel.

With 72 per cent voting in favour of the new three-year agreement that was tentatively reached following a marathon bargaining session between the casino and union officials early Thursday morning, the ratified deal features average wage increases of more than 10% over the life of the agreement.

There are a number of other worker positives, said union officials, such as improvements to the pension plan, the elimination of benefit co-payments and the retention of 10 emergency leave days.

Unifor national representative Steve Batchelor said the agreement realizes wage parity with all other Gateway-operated casinos.

The new deal also brings a commitment of guaranteed hours for the union’s part-time members while protecting the complement of full-time members with a better work-life balance.

Batchelor said more than 1,100 members voted on the deal, which required 51 per cent support to be ratified.

“The incredible strength and determination of the bargaining committee led by local 1090 president Corey Dalton was key to reaching the new agreement,” Batchelor said.

“We believe that the relationship with this employer is imperative to the future success of Casino Rama and will no doubt pay great dividends for our members’ security.”

However, Batchelor said there continues to be concerns among employees about their future.

“Members are happy ... (but) concerned of the future of the resort with all the competition in the gaming industry," he said.

Calls to a Casino Rama spokesman were not returned Sunday in time for publication.

The tentative deal, which was reached early Thursday morning with Unifor posting the news on its Facebook page at 3 a.m., held off job action since a strike deadline had been set for midnight.

But a few hours prior to that, both sides agreed to extend the opportunity for negotiation until 4 a.m. It was enough to get a deal done, keep the casino open and avert a strike.

Earlier this month, union members voted 95 per cent in favour of a strike if negotiations between the union and Gateway Casinos and Entertainment, the operator of Casino Rama, failed.


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Andrew Philips

About the Author: Andrew Philips

Editor Andrew Philips is a multiple award-winning journalist whose writing has appeared in some of the country’s most respected news outlets. Originally from Midland, Philips returned to the area from Québec City a decade ago.
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