The Ajax Pickering casino strike has ended after Unifor Local 1090 members ratified a new agreement with Great Canadian Entertainment, with workers scheduled to return on Monday, November 9.
Unifor announced the result on November 6. Just over 900 members are covered by the settlement. The union reported 87.4 per cent support for the tentative deal, with 82 per cent of eligible voters participating.
Durham Radio News reported that the walkout began July 31 and that both casinos continued operating during the dispute. Ratification marks a substantive change from the start of the strike previously reported by All About Durham.
Four-year settlement
The contract provides cumulative wage increases of 14 per cent over four years, according to Unifor. Active full-time employees at ratification will receive a $300 lump-sum payment, while active part-time employees will receive $150.
The union also reported changes to vacation progression, additional leave days and protections for employees changing shifts. It said the settlement contains no concessions.
Benefits protected after the walkout
A specific provision protects part-time workers from losing eligibility for health, dental and life insurance because of time spent on the picket line. That addresses the transition back to work after the lengthy dispute.
The agreement concerns Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort. It should not be confused with the separate lockout involving security officers at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, which Unifor said remained unresolved when it announced the Durham settlement.
The Ajax Pickering casino strike settlement establishes a return-to-work date, rather than a new casino opening. The casinos had stayed open; November 9 is the scheduled return for the union members covered by the ratified agreement.
