The latest Local to join the Union of National Employees now has a collective agreement! Last June, we reported that employees at the Rideau Carleton Raceway, a racetrack and slots facility in Ottawa, became members of the UNE.
The new collective agreement is currently being proofread and awaiting signature, but the good news is that it’s already in effect.
Members of Local 71201 will receive a one-time signing bonus of $800. The collective agreement also gives them a grievance process for the first time, which means that they now have a way to address issues in the workplace.
On a day-to-day level, employees will now be able to select their shifts based on seniority. As for part-time employees, they now benefit from up to three paid lieu days, which they can use to leave work early or as vacation time – much in the same way that full-time employees use their lieu days.
The employees at Rideau Carleton Raceway have also been concerned with the future of their workplace ever since the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation announced plans to ‘modernize’ its activities. Luckily, the Local’s first collective agreement protects them in the event that their slots facility is purchased by another casino; the terms and conditions are guaranteed until the expiry of the collective agreement.
“We’re extremely happy that these members now have a collective agreement,” said National Executive Vice-President Eddie Kennedy, who has been acting as president this week. “At the end of the day, we’re talking about something that will really help us protect these members’ rights,” added Kennedy.
“The bargaining team should be especially proud of their hard work.”