Locked-out Slots Workers take the fight to Queen’s Park

OLGQueens

Last Wednesday, locked-out workers from OLG Rideau Carleton Raceway piled into a bus at 2:30am to make the lengthy trek to the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park in Toronto. The group and its allies, which included representatives from Unifor and the Ontario Federation of Labour, participated in a press conference and rallied enthusiastically outside both the legislature and OLG headquarters.

“This was a very successful event,” said Doug Marshall, president of the Union of National Employees. “It was great to see members energized by the trip and take their fight where Kathleen Wynne could no longer ignore their message.”

The 124 employees have been locked out since December 16th, 2009 and their employer, backed by Wynne’s Ontario Liberals, has refused to withdraw its ultimatum that it would not bargain unless we accept a continued wage freeze and the removal of the pension plan from the collective agreement. More recently, OLG also began the process of hiring scab workers instead of bargaining in good faith.

The locked-out workers continue to work hard while on the picket line. Their website http://www.psacrideaucarleton.com/ contains a great collection of videos and photos from last week’s trip.

You can also check out photos on the PSAC-NCR and Ontario Federation of Labour FlickR feeds here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/psacontario/albums/72157663397672473

https://www.flickr.com/photos/ontariofedlabour/albums/72157665506118162