Canadian Labour Reporter

OLG are not enough (1.75 per cent in the first year of the contract, then nothing for the fol- lowing two years). Further exasperating the union is the fact that pension provisions have been removed from the col- lective agreement language, which PSAC said is unacceptable. "OLG is forcing these workers into accepting low wages and giv- ing up their pension language in order to make gaming operations more attractive to private sec- tor buyers," said Larry Rousseau, president of PSAC's Ontario fac- tion. OLG, however, said remov- ing the clause from the contract doesn't mean workers won't get a pension, but that a service pro- vider will be contractually obli- gated to provide one instead, said Rui Brum, a spokesperson for the gaming commission. By law, OLG employees are not able to participate in the public service pension plan after they move to a service provider, as they will no longer be public employ- ees once OLG restructures as part of the province's modernization plan, Brum said. "However, in order to address the union's concerns, OLG has advised PSAC and all other unions that have been involved in bar- gaining in 2014 that OLG employ- ees will be members of the public service pension plan up to the date until the site is transferred to a ser- vice provider," he said. "This is important to ensure OLG employees will continue to have a pension plan — the service provider will be contractually re- quired to provide a registered pen- sion plan for registered employees from the very first day they trans- fer to that service provider." Brum added that the deal on offer to Rideau Carleton workers mirrors the one OLG has signed with 17 other unions, including employees at the same casino that are members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OP- SEU). Scabs or supervisors? Making matters more complicat- ed is that the casino is still operat- ing, keeping tensions high on the picket line. That came to a head when PSAC filed a complaint to the labour relations board in mid- March, after OLG posted open positions on its website for four- month term supervisors. While the employer said it is just business as usual, the union said these workers would be replacing bargaining unit work and, there- fore, takes away the leverage that a strike or lockout would have dur- ing negotiations. "That's the kind of pressure that makes the employer come back to the table and say, 'OK, we're going to move,' but by hiring these work- ers for four months — the message from that is 'We expect this to go on for another four months.' And what's that all about? So we filed an unfair labour practices complaint," Rousseau said. Though Brum said it would be inappropriate to comment on the complaint before the OLG re- ceives it, he added that the nature of the concern is moot. "Every summer season, the slots at Rideau hires employees to help out because it's a busier time of year. These employees are not part of the gaming floor bargaining unit represented by PSAC," Brum said. Bypassing partisanship Both the NDP and Progressive Conservatives have voiced their support for the union and employ- ees, and denounced Premier Kath- leen Wynne and Finance Minis- ter Charles Sousa for not putting more pressure on OLG. "The OLG and Wynne govern- ment are once again trying to at- tack the Rideau Carleton raceway in order for them to have a down- town casino," said Lisa MacLeod, Conservative MPP in Ottawa. "In my opinion, the Liberals are using this as an example and a tool to build a downtown casino in Ot- tawa, which the community does not want." NDP labour critic Cindy For- ster echoed the sentiment during a joint press conference with the union. "These are employees who have a public pension plan and they're here to demand that Pre- mier Kathleen Wynne put a stop to the OLG trying to gut it," For- ster said. "The Liberal premier has done nothing to ensure that the OLG returns to the bargaining table. It's allowed them to lock out these em- ployees right before Christmas. So they've been out on the street for almost three months, they've had their wages frozen for six years, and they want to eliminate any mention of a pension in their col- lective agreements. I believe this is an attack on the hardworking em- ployees at this facility and on their families." Both Forster and MacLeod raised the lockout during question period at Queen's Park in March, calling on the Liberal government to put pressure on the Crown cor- poration and sign a deal. Finance Minister Charles Sousa did not respond to requests for comment. 7 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2016 CANADIAN LABOUR REPORTER NEWS < OLG pg. 1 NDP, PC parties voice support for union, workers Photo: Sabrina Nanji Pensions and wages remain major sticking points for casino workers at OLG in Ottawa

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