CALGARY – A six-week-old strike at Casino Calgary may soon be over.
A written recommendation by mediator Scott Boyd has been accepted by the Casino, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has said it will recommend acceptance to its members.
CUPE will be holding a ratification meeting this Friday evening. The union is not releasing details of the settlement until after the ratification meeting.
CUPE Alberta President D’Arcy Lanovaz was happy that the strike might be over, saying the employees proved themselves to be a stronger force than the casino counted on.
“This group has improved upon the wages the employer was offering at the beginning of the strike,” said Lanovaz. “They did it by staying strong on the picket line, and by cutting the Casino business down to almost nothing.”
The CUPE President said business at the Casino has been dramatically cut down by the strike. Lanovaz said charity casino volunteers told CUPE that the Casino’s contribution to their charities was down from about $70,000/day to about $5,000.
“That, plus their empty parking lots, tells me that this group will never be second guessed by Casino management again.”
“Now it’s time for both sides to work together to rebuild the casino’s business.”
If the union ratifies the mediator’s report, the employees will return to work Saturday.
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For more information about the strike, visit: www.alberta.cupe.ca/casino.htm