Montreal Casino croupiers strike outside Loto-Québec head office
Posted June 8, 2022 1:03 pm.
Last Updated June 8, 2022 1:05 pm.
Croupiers from the Montreal Casino picketed in front of Loto-Québec’s head office downtown on Sherbrooke St. West on Wednesday.
They launched an unlimited general strike May 21 as negotiations over a new collective agreement stalled.
The collective agreement regulating the working conditions of 521 dealers expired on March 31, 2020.
Salaries and schedules are among the issues at stake.
The Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (CUPE) recently stated the dispute is over 15 minutes per day of break time that the employer does not want to pay for.
Loto-Québec, which manages the province’s casinos, said the Montreal Casino dealers were asking for 30 minutes of paid break for each hour worked, when they are already entitled to two hours of paid break during an eight-hour shift.
Operations at the Montreal Casino are continuing as normal. Gaming tables, restaurants, slot machines and shows are running, while the poker lounge is closed.
READ MORE: Montreal Casino croupiers plan strike for second time in two days (May 15)
The croupiers are asking in particular for better accommodation of working and rest time to avoid injuries on the job, Jean-Pierre Proulx, a union adviser for the CUPE, said in a statement in May. He said the number of employees suffering from work-related injuries is “staggering.”
Loto-Québec had in turn issued a statement saying it offers safe and optimal working conditions to its employees.
On wages, CUPE is accusing the employer of wanting to reduce remuneration to 2017 levels and alleges the new salary scale would ensure new employees would earn 90 per cent of the base salary.
