Croupiers at the Montreal Casino organized a strike due to poor working conditions and salary cuts. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Protest over serious issues
Workers at the Montreal casino went on strike, blaming poor working conditions and salary cuts. They started their unlimited general strike at 9 am on Saturday and said it would continue until the situation is resolved. As part of the first day, workers walked from a local metro station to the casino.
Explaining the reasons for the protest, union representative Jean-Pierre Proulx said that half of the players had suffered physical injuries as a result of their work in the casino.
The Play Services usually deal around 10,000 cards in a single shift
Prolix explained that players usually deal about 10,000 cards in one shift, repeating this five or six days each week. Many develop tendinitis and other forms of repetitive strain injury as a result, he said, concluding: “After 15 years in the job, this starts to build up.”
Escalation of the conflict
The Montreal Casino actually protested to little effect. They twice stopped work over the previous weekend as a way of expressing their dissatisfaction with the stalled negotiations.
Montreal casino is the largest casino in all of Canada. Other Loto-Quebec casinos do not participate in the strike.
Loto-Quebec, the operator of the Montreal casino, expressed disappointment with the strike and reassured customers that regular operations at the hotel would continue. While the poker lounge is not open, slot machines, restaurants, shows and gaming tables are operating as usual. Loto-Quebec has also maintained that all employees work in an optimal and safe environment.
The collective agreement regarding the working conditions of the 521 casino distributors and sellers expired on March 31, 2020. Since then, issues with work schedules and salaries have arisen. Because shifts are shortened, chairlifters often need to work six days a week to earn at least 30 hours of work on their weekly paycheck.
Quebec Lotto’s view
Loto-Quebec outlined the requirements for gambling regulators, asserting that they “require 30 minutes of paid rest for every hour worked.” Factor also expressed his argument against this. “They will, therefore, spend more than 30 percent of their shift on paid leave, which is unusual in the industry,” Lotto Quebec stated.
He wants to drop the entry-level employee’s salary by 10%.
The casino company wants to cut the entry-level employee’s salary by 10%, which will drop to C$17.44 ($22.28) an hour from C$18.40 ($23.51). The current starting salary is 20% more than the market standard, according to the business.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Chairs Organizers Guild believes that this reduction in salaries is an irresponsible act, especially due to the ongoing shortage of labor. He emphasized that caterers would never accept a pay cut and that they also wanted better management of rest breaks and work shifts.
Despite the tensions, Lotto Quebec confirmed that it is looking to secure a “responsible negotiated agreement”. Discussions are continuing.
