The croupiers of the Casino de Montreal will begin Tuesday morning the first means of pressure, after a vote, Monday, suggesting that they could go until the strike.
Posted at 12:25 a.m.
The dealers voted 97.4% for pressure tactics, while their employer refuses to recall all of the employees, according to a press release from the Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents them.
The union also accuses the establishment of wanting to make hundreds of hidden dismissals, which goes against the collective agreement still in force.
“The particularly terrible thing about this situation is that even if the casino recalled 100% of those dealers, only 60% of the tables would be operational. We have already lost a lot of workers,” said Jean-Pierre Proulx, CUPE union representative.
According to him, if the Casino de Montreal does not reopen its gaming tables, players will go elsewhere. However, state casinos supervise the practice in a safe manner. Moreover, “they must be protected, because they generously fill the coffers of the State”, he specified.
The union is asking the employer to recall all croupiers laid off since the start of the pandemic so that they retain their employment relationship.
As of Tuesday, employees will wear union jerseys.
Loto-Québec has reopened its casinos since February 28.