Woodbine racetrack employees locked out

A third attempt at settling a labour dispute at Woodbine Slots and Racing has ended with management locking out employees.

The lockout began at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

It will be mostly business as usual, but there will be no access to electronic poker machines or the courtesy shuttle. There will also be limited hours for coat check.

Negotiations between more than 400 union members represented by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming corporation (OLG) began in October. Union members rejected two offers, one in February and one earlier this week.

This third offer, a proposal from the union to management, was rejected by management on Wednesday. That prompted the lockout.

In a statement earlier this year, the union said the “precarious” employment of part-time workers was a sticking point. Even though many part-time workers work full-time hours, they are refused full-time employment.

“Workers are continuing to stand firm against an offer that would not improve their working conditions, especially for part-time workers,” PSAC Ontario regional vice-president Sharon DeSousa said in a statement Thursday.

“We have part-time workers who have been working full-time hours for over 10 years now, yet the OLG will not allow them full-time status; how is this fair?”

In a separate statement, the OLG said it has treated employees “fairly and respectfully.” The corporation said it had “made wage and lump sum proposals which are fair and reasonable, and we are willing to put our offer before an arbitrator.”

Correction: Employees have been locked out by management. They are not on strike.