On the occasion of the holding of the Formula 1 Grand Prix on Saturday, the striking croupiers at the Casino de Montréal decided to make a “brilliant strike” by blocking access to the car park for the establishment’s employees, thus slowing down their activities. .
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With this measured leverage, which does not harm the organization of the motor sport event, the demonstrators force the casino employees to have to park directly on the premises of the facility.
“We wanted to create a stir at the Grand Prix, but without harming the spectators who paid for an expensive ticket. We’re getting the message across that we need to end the casino dispute by focusing on the health of croupiers and croupières,” said Jean-Pierre Proulx, union adviser at the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Casino de Montreal management sent a formal notice to protesters at 9 a.m. Saturday, urging them to put an end to this bargaining chip.
“Preventing other employees from going to work is not an act we tolerate,” Loto-Québec spokesman Renaud Dugas said in an email to the QMI agency.
Remember that the 545 croupiers at Casino de Montréal have been on an indefinite general strike since May 21st due to the stalled negotiations on their employment contract, which expired on March 31st, 2020.
The dispute mainly concerns the croupiers’ working conditions, including the break time, which they consider insufficient.
In a press release published on Wednesday, Loto-Québec reiterated its position in the dispute, recalling that parameters similar to those offered were accepted by the croupiers at Casino du Lac-Leamy.
“Loto-Québec naturally wants to continue negotiations with the Casino de Montréal croupier union to reach a responsible bargaining agreement. The company remains available to resume exchanges with the union,” we can read in particular in the press release.