Great Canadian Gaming casino workers reach agreement on pay, benefits

By Tom Nightingale Jul 18, 2022

Updated July 23

Unifor-member casino workers at six Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) casinos have reached a tentative agreement to avoid strike action over pay.

“Gaming sector workers were pivotal to ensuring GCGC casinos rebounded following the COVID-19 shutdowns,” said Chris MacDonald, Assistant to the Unifor National President. “It has been a very difficult period for casino workers and these tentative agreements are a step in the right direction.”

The signed agreements include Great Blue Heron Casino, Casino Woodbine, Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, and Shorelines Casino Peterborough, security workers at Elements Casino Mohawk, and Elements Casino Brantford.

Two other sites, Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax, are still trying to reach an agreement and Unifor-member workers at those casinos are on strike until then.

“There is an unacceptable gap in the wages and benefits between workers doing the same job for the same employer an hour down the highway,” said Corey Dalton, President of Local 1090. “This strike is about fair working conditions across the gaming sector during uncertain economic times.”

The coordinated bargaining tables for Unifor members working in table games, slots, security, cashiering, food and beverage, kitchen and culinary, guest services, housekeeping, and maintenance roles at GCGC properties had met in recent days in Toronto seeking improvements to wages, benefits, and pensions. The union was also seeking to increase the share of good, stable jobs by converting part-time or “casual” positions into full-time jobs.

Unifor Local 1090 represents approximately 1,500 gaming workers at six GCGC properties: Great Blue Heron Casino, Casino Woodbine, Pickering Casino Resort, Casino Ajax, Shorelines Casino Thousand Islands, and Shorelines Casino Peterborough. Unifor Local 252 represents 30 security workers at Elements Casino Mohawk, and Unifor Local 504 represents 300 workers at Elements Casino Brantford as well as 275 workers at Elements Casino Mohawk (slots) and Elements Casino Flamboro.