Unionised workers at two casinos in southwestern Ontario have voted strongly in favour of strike action if needed to support their contract demands, ahead of collective agreements expiring on 11 November.
Members at Cascades Casino Chatham voted 91.5% in favour of strike authorisation, while those at Starlight Casino Point Edward returned a 93.8% majority.
Unifor Local 444 represents both groups. The Chatham bargaining unit comprises 97 workers and the Point Edward unit 117, bringing the combined number represented to 214.
Local 444 said negotiations with the employer would continue over the weekend.
In statements made on Facebook, the union described each result as a strong mandate for its bargaining committee.
Its message to Chatham members emphasised solidarity at the negotiating table, while the Point Edward statement thanked participants for their unity and support.
The votes authorise potential action in support of negotiations, but they do not, in themselves, establish that a strike will take place when the agreements expire.
In other news, Ontario and OLG have launched an investment process that could admit up to three new casino operators in Niagara.
The province’s online market also remains under scrutiny: the Supreme Court has reserved judgment on international player pooling, while iGaming Ontario faces questions over an unpublished problem-gambling study. The agency has said the study’s methodology didn't meet its policy-development standards.
Ontario’s separate Niagara casino investment process has a 3 December deadline for first-phase responses
