12 December 2015
Workers at the OLG-Rideau Carleton Raceway Slots (RCRS) facility in Ottawa are facing a lockout as early as 12:01am on December 16.
The 124 affected workers, represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), have been negotiating to reach a fair contract since May 2014 but have so far been unsuccessful. Key outstanding issues are reasonable wage increases and the future of the pension plan. Workers at the RCRS have not received a raise since 2009, and now earn significantly less than workers in comparable positions at other OLG facilities.
Workers will once again return to the bargaining table on December 14 in an attempt to reach a negotiated agreement that is fair and equitable.
On December 10, Slots management notified workers that if there was a labour dispute they would be denied access to health and dental benefits. PSAC has assured its members that should the RCRS not agree to the continuation of benefits, the union will provide health and dental coverage to all those involved in the labour disruption.
“We believe it’s only fair that after not receiving raises since 2008, the RCRS’s management should come to table with a reasonable offer that reflects the good work that our members do,” said Larry Rousseau, Regional Executive Vice-President for the Public Service Alliance of Canada.
“As we enter the busiest part of the holiday season, we really hope that this can be resolved at the bargaining table, without disruption to the RCRS’s operations, as we are sensitive to how many banquets and events have been booked at this location,” added Doug Marshall, President of the Union of National Employees, a component union of PSAC.
The 124 workers at the RCRS serve in a variety of roles, including as parking attendants, housekeepers, slot attendants, slot technicians, cashiers and money room clerks.