Workers of Nova Scotia Casino want to create union

The workers of Nova Scotia Casino in Halifax expressed their desire to create a union, during a press conference held Sunday evening.

The members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 902 helped Great Canadian Gaming Corporation (GCGC) casino workers organize a union drive, one month ago, to try and earn increased salaries, different benefits, fair treatment and better job security.

Julie Glendenning, a 24-year-old cage cashier at the casino expressed her dissatisfaction with the working conditions. She said that she and other workers have to work under constant stress, always wondering if they will get paid the next month. Now together with her colleagues she will help form a union which will help them improve their working conditions.

Shawn Coates, a table games and cards dealer who was elected as the chairperson of the Dealers' Tip Committee by his colleagues said that only an union can change the currently situation, and that they want to change every aspect of the current situation for the better.

Rob Mailman, which worked as a porter for many years at the Casino in Halifax said that a union would make the employers treat their employees much better.

Tony Tracy, the SEIU Canada National Organizer, said that the workers of Nova Scotia Casino are the lowest paid workers in Canada, despite the fact that the casino has very large revenues.

She also said that many of the casinos workers don't even get paid minimum wage. She said that now is the time that employees working in Halifax should receive the same amount of money and respect as the workers from other regions.