The Caesars Windsor union Unifor Local 444 voted against accepting the most recent offer by the casino, and the strike continued into its 43rd day.
The vote against the contract was 53 percent, with 47 percent favoring it. The union represents 1,345 full-time workers and 567 part-time employees, including dealers, housekeepers, cooks and other staff.
Caesars Entertainment Regional President Kevin Laforet reacted to the vote: “We are incredibly disappointed in the outcome of today’s vote which was fully endorsed by both the Unifor National and Local 444 bargaining teams.”
He added, “The agreement is more than fair and sustainable. I personally want to apologize for the continued inconvenience this causes our customers. The long-term effect on our business goes well-beyond revenue loss and is immeasurable.”
In April the membership voted 59 percent to reject the casino’s offer. This vote came after 15 hours of bargaining.
The strike is not affecting funds the casino pays for municipal services said the City of Windsor. About 1.2 percent of the city’s budget comes from the casino, or about $10.3 million. The city budgets for contingencies such as this, said a spokesman. The city collects more from Caesars than it spends on services to it, and so the budget for the casino currently has a surplus.
Even though the casino is closed the city has fixed costs for providing services to it.
Windsor District Labour Council President Brian Hogan said after the vote, “The problem must be … that management are not listening to their workers about how things can be better.”
He advised the provincial government to intervene. “This is a government facility. Get your top-notch conciliators, arbitrators — get them working around the clock,” he said.
Meanwhile the city is noticing an effect on local tourism, with area restaurants, tourist destinations and shopping mall feeling the pinch. The casino is considered the city’s primary tourist attraction.
Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island CEO Gordon Orr told the Windsor Star, “Caesars is a trip motivator — whether it’s crossing an international border, a drive down the (Highway) 401 or flight into the airport.”
He added, “It’s difficult to estimate (the financial impact), but tourism is an economic generator and job creator. You also have 2,300 employees right now with no income. They are not spending with staycations or anything else right now.”
At first area hotels saw business go up with the closing of the Windsor casino and its hotel. But after a few weeks that traffic began to trickle down.
The closure also effects the local Devonshire Mall. The mall’s general manager, Chris Savard, told the Star, “It’s very tough to quantify, but obviously like everybody else in the community we want to see this resolved and move forward. Our sales have been solid, but we would like to see this settled, for sure.”
Casino strikes are rare in North America. The exception was the Frontier Hotel and Casino work stage in Las Vegas which ran on for more than six years in the 1990s. One reason a strike is unlikely to cripple a casino is because each one usually has several unions, so a strike will usually not completely close a casino.
The casino’s spokesman Jhoan Baluyot commented on the continuing strike, “At this time, Caesars Windsor is not making any further comment concerning the labour disruption.”
The Ontario finance ministry, which oversees the Ontario Lottery Gaming Corporation, issued this statement: “The Ministry of Finance is aware the union membership at Caesars Windsor’s rejected a tentative agreement. The ministry is supportive of a positive resolution as soon as possible.”
