Casino workers preparing for possible strike next week
Contract talks continue as both sides ‘have shown interest’ in resolving issues
Caesars Windsor workers stepped up preparations for a possible walkout next week as contract talks continue between Unifor Local 444 and casino management. “We’re a week away … so at this point we’re trying to wrap up a lot of the non-monetary and get into our financial demands,” said Local 444 president James Stewart on Wednesday.
Stewart said both sides have been at the table for what has been steady bargaining since Feb. 12. “There is a lot of time left but again there’s still a lot we need to resolve,” he said. “So far, both sides have shown an interest in resolving our issues.”
Jhoan Baluyot, manager of public relations and communications for Caesars Windsor, was unavailable for comment Wednesday but she did send an email reply to a request for an interview saying, “Caesars Windsor will not be making public or media comment during negotiations.”
With a strike/lockout deadline looming April 4 at 12:01 a.m., a small group gathered Wednesday at Local 444 to assemble strike signs.
“You always hope that you’re doing it for nothing,” said strike coordinator Stephanie Dunphy. “The best scenario for us is to have all the prep done but then throw it all in a box and throw it all in a closet.” Dunphy said approximately 2,300 casino workers, from dealers to cashiers, cooks to housekeepers, janitors and servers, would be affected if a strike were to shut down Caesars Windsor. “Anything that has to do with hospitality and gaming and food and beverage, we represent all of them,” she said.
Dunphy is ensuring all strike preparations are taken care of including setting up marshals and strike captains for every picket shift, securing a strike headquarters and ensuring portable toilets and food service would be available.
“(It’s) just an endless amount of jobs that have to get done so that you’re prepared if the time comes,” Dunphy said, adding these are normal preparations during every round of bargaining.
The last strike at the casino — from April 3 to May 14, 2004 — shut down the Casino Windsor’s gaming floors and hotel for 41 days. It was reported in August 2004 that Casino Windsor — the precursor to Caesars Windsor — took a $63-million hit in gross gaming revenues in the first quarter of 2004 compared to the year before. However, the Slots at Windsor Raceway picked up much of the gambling slack during the strike, with first-quarter earnings at the time soaring by 49 per cent.