Posted yesterday at 11:00 p.m.
A tentative agreement that could put an end to the strike by the 545 croupiers at the Casino de Montréal is causing great unease among some workers. The president of the union, affiliated with CUPE, openly suggests that its members declare to the tax authorities less tips than what they actually earn, in order to compensate for salary increases of 2% deemed insufficient.
Since 1999, tips earned by croupiers, who have been on strike since May 21, have been collected by the Casino de Montréal and redistributed to workers on their paycheques. Deductions for tax and pension purposes were made by the employer, Loto-Québec. But under a new agreement in principle presented discreetly to the dealers on August 16, it will now be the union’s responsibility to manage and redistribute tips.
“It means that you are going to declare [au fisc] what you want […] If you think the 2% increase [salariale négocié avec l’employeur]it’s not high enough, well, it’s up to you to double it, ”declared the president of the Syndicat des croupiers et croupières du Casino de Montréal, Denis Galy, in front of dozens of union members.
“Someone who works 2000 hours a year [va faire environ] $24,000 tip. If you decide to declare $24,000, you have the right, if you decide to declare $12,000, it is your right,” added union adviser Jean-Pierre Proulx.
Four union members contacted The Press in recent days to denounce these remarks. “It is a direct attack on our integrity. We are encouraged to commit fraud to compensate for very bad salary increases, ”denounces one of them, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals from union leaders.
When we are hired as croupiers, we have to give our fingerprints to the Sûreté du Québec and submit to a security investigation. It is unacceptable for our union to suggest that we break the law in this way.
A croupier from the Casino de Montréal who requested anonymity
Croupiers assigned to poker tables have been doing this since 2008. According to a member of the union, the self-declaration method could occasionally allow them to hide from the tax authorities “five-figure” tips given by customers when major jackpots are won. The “Heartbreaking Hand” Progressive Jackpot (badbeat), in poker, has for example already reached 1.67 million at the Casino de Montréal.
Joined by The Press, the union representative of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Jean-Pierre Proulx, admits that such remarks should never have been made during the general assembly. “Should we have said that?” Not at all. But in the same general meeting, all employees were also told that it is their responsibility to declare all their tips. And if they want to have all the benefits that are attached to tips, which are around 23% plus the pension plan, it is in their interest to declare all of their tips,” insists Mr. Proulx.
Union president Denis Galy did not respond to our interview request.
Loto-Québec separates
Loto-Québec, which quickly dissociated itself from the statements of the union leaders, affirms that it was the union which initially asked to manage the tips, “which the employer was obliged to accept under the Labor Standards Act “Says spokesperson Renaud Dugas. “The Company requires its tipped employees to declare all of their income, as required by income tax law. Periodically, reminders are issued to raise their awareness in this regard,” added Mr. Dugas.
Revenu Québec says for its part that it checks with tip employees “when irregularities are reported to it or when it believes it is in the presence of a scheme to do tax avoidance”.
The tentative agreement reached between the union and the Casino was officially adopted by the members on August 16, but the union has refused until today to make the information public. The croupiers are required between now and their return to work, scheduled for August 29, to continue to picket as if nothing had happened, in support of the striking employees of 22 branches of the SQDC, if they want to continue to draw income from the strike fund. ” 1er September, we’re going to have a check for $1,150 if everyone does things right. If there is one who opens the hatch, the whole gang, here, you will lose $1150”, warned the president of the union during the general assembly.