Niagara community and Unifor unite to save casino jobs

NIAGARA FALLS, ON, May 16, 2017 /CNW/ - Unifor invites the public and members of the media to attend a public town hall to discuss saving 1,400 casino jobs at Niagara Casinos.

"The conversation about creating and defending good jobs in the Niagara Region is one that unites all members of our community," said Greg Brady, President of Unifor Local 199. "This community, including casino workers, will discuss our concerns with government representatives who have a responsibility to ensure people can make ends meet."

The event will be an opportunity to hear the latest update on the ongoing Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) Request for Proposals (RFP) process that would jeopardize 1,400 jobs in the region and offer members of the community a space to discuss strategy and action to stop the cuts. The massive job cuts were revealed by a third party consultant in the HLT advisory report. 

WHAT:	Public Town Hall: Standing up for Casino jobs and beyond
WHERE:	Gale Centre, 5152 Thorold Stone Rd, Niagara Falls
WHEN:	Wednesday, May 17, at 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
WHO:	Katha Fortier, Unifor Assistant to the National President Jim Diodati, Mayor of Niagara Falls Alan Caslin, Niagara Regional Chair Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls Greg Brady, President, Unifor local 199

Unifor expressed concern that the OLG modernization plan is a privatization scheme that seeks to lower labour costs and expenses to turn a larger profit. While Unifor unionized gaming workers at Caesars Windsor and Casino Rama have a direct say in workplace changes that may result from modernization and the national union can offer a mechanism to fight back on job cuts, the majority of the workers at the Niagara Casinos are not unionized.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers in every sector of the economy. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged.

SOURCE Unifor

please contact Unifor Communications National Representative, Sarah McCue at [email protected] or 416-458-3307 (cell).