Caesars Windsor Casino Strike Enters 53rd Day With No Resolution in Sight
Posted on: May 28, 2018, 05:27h.
Last updated on: May 28, 2018, 05:37h.
On April 6, some 2,300 workers at Caesars Windsor Casino resort — just over the river to the southeast of Detroit on the Canadian side — walked off the job. Nearly two months later (53 days to be exact), there’s still no sign of a deal, and Ontario, Canada’s largest casino remains nonoperational.
There was hope for a resolution late last week when Unifor Local 444 — the union representing the striking workers — reached a tentative agreement with the casino. However, 53 percent then voted against accepting the new contract last Friday, extending the strike into its eighth week.
The striking employees include most of the casino resort’s workers, from table dealers to housekeepers, and from janitors to cooks. They’re demanding significant improvements to their wages and working conditions, like their counterparts at the Culinary Union (minus the gaming floor employees) who are pushing for the same in Las Vegas right now.
With all hotel reservations and events currently on hold, the strike is starting to become a major economic concern for the region.
Spinoff Impact Being Felt
A full-scale closure like this one is extremely rare in the North American gaming industry. Almost every other casino has its employees split up among several different unions, allowing it to continue operating in some capacity during labor disputes. Any stoppages that do happen are usually resolved within a few weeks.
Not so in Windsor, much to the chagrin of tourism officials. With the region’s number one attraction shuttered, local restaurants, shops, and even other hotels are starting to feel the effects, and not just because the stream of tourists is drying up.
It’s difficult to estimate [the financial impact], but tourism is an economic generator and job creator,” CEO of Tourism Windsor Gordon Orr told the Windsor Star. “You also have 2,300 employees right now with no income. ”
With the situation growing more dire by the day, some have wondered whether the province’s Ministry of Finance, which oversees the casino, may intervene. However, while the ministry is “supportive of a positive resolution as soon as possible,” leaders have relayed no plans to step in to resolve the work stoppage.
Meanwhile, representatives from the casino side have refused to comment since the latest deal was voted down.
Is Vegas Next?
It’s that exact type of situation that Sin City is hoping to avoid.
On May 22, the 50,000 casino resort workers who make up the Las Vegas Culinary Union voted by an overwhelming 99 percent to take job action. It means that unless an 11th-hour agreement is reached, workers could walk off the job as of June 1.
Along with guarantees of better wages and working conditions, protections from sexual harassment in the workplace is also a hot button for Las Vegas Culinary Union members. If they do hit the picket line later this week — a situation that Strip gaming kingpins MGM and Caesars Entertainment would seem to almost certainly hope to avoid — industry experts estimate that it could cost the Las Vegas economy as much as $45 million per day.
The last time the city witnessed such a walkout was in 1984, when 30,000 hotel workers went on strike for 67 days.
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Last Comments ( 7 )
My wife and I have relocated to Greenville South Carolina area about a year and a half ago. We frequently visit Harrah's Cherokee Casino and Hotel in North Carolina. It's run by the Indian population and It's a great place to go. Slots are greats as well as the hotel. All the employees are wonderful. This is part of the Harrah's chain of casinos. Being a Detroit Michigan resident before relocating we visited all the casino's in the area. We are coming back to Michigan for a visit and hope that the strike is over before our trip in mid June. We had plans on visiting the Windsor Casino.
hello wake up
Greedy Greedy Greedy Casino workers in states make $4 per hour Even when u open I will boycott casinos because of stupid workers On government side this time Everyone will continue to go to Detroit , Niagra and Cleveland
The workers will not gain much from this strike. They have lost 2 months of wages already which they will never get back. If your minimum wages are over $10 per hours and not enough for you maybe you should come to USA where they are just a little over $8 per hour. They need to become responsible adults your families need income and don't follow those who have other income to survive. those who have others income do not care about you . Look at positive things of the revised contract and vote to go back to work. I have been there!
Let’s stop blaming each other, get back to work, we go to Windsor from Toledo, have never seen any bickering, let,s act like adults and not babies. Get it together, nobody is winning on this, you have a great casino, do not lose it!!!
Time for the Casino to get new executives to run the company. Clearly they have failed there workers and there community to resolve this issue.
time for these fools to realize a strike never gains you anything. you have lost almost 8 weeks salary, never to be gotten back, and i know because i went on strike a while ago and never gained anything.