Elbow River Casino workers join the union – UFCW 401

Calgary – May 16, 2018 – Workers at the Elbow River Casino in Calgary are the newest members of UFCW Canada Local 401 after recently voting “Yes!” to establishing a union in their workplace.

“Congratulations to the employees of the Elbow River Casino, who showed considerable courage, patience, and persistence to create this outcome,” says UFCW Local 401 President Doug O’Halloran. “This is a big win for all of those who work in the gaming industry,” he adds.

By joining UFCW Canada Local 401, Elbow River workers stand with unionized casino workers at two major casinos in Edmonton, the Grand Villa and Starlite Casinos.

“This campaign was a difficult one, and there are still many outstanding issues with respect to the employer’s conduct during the campaign,” says UFCW Local 401 Organizer Joe Irving. “We were forced to file unfair labour practice complaints against management and others working on their behalf to ensure that casino employees would be able to express their true wishes free from employer interference,” Irving adds.

The newly unionized casino workers will now look toward negotiating a first collective agreement that addresses the concerns which prompted them to unionize.

UFCW Canada Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private sector union, representing over 32,000 workers in multiple sectors of the economy, including retail, food and beverage production, hospitality, and gaming industries, among others.