Monday, December 24, 2007

Bartenders and servers ratify new deal with Woodbine Entertainment

Less than 24 hours after reaching a tentative settlement, members of the Canadian Auto Workers union have overwhelmingly ratified a new 3-year agreement with Woodbine Entertainment.

The new agreement, which covers 185 bartenders and servers working at the Greenwood Teletheatre in Toronto as well as Woodbine and Mohawk racetrack and slots, was ratified by 90 per cent and includes wage and benefit improvements for both full-time and part-time employees in addition to new job protection and workplace safety language along with many other gains.

Contract talks between the CAW and Woodbine Entertainment broke down in early December over a number of important issues, including the company’s demand to scale back wages, resulting in a 17-day strike.

“Right from the outset we told the company there will be no wage concessions for these workers,” said Hemi Mitic, Assistant to the National President. “Our members showed tremendous courage and willingness to fight this issue as a matter of principle, and we won.”

CAW national staff representative Brian Stevens acknowledged the hard work and dedication of the membership and the bargaining committee in negotiating a very good settlement.

“This contract not only improves the lives of our members at the racetracks and slots, it also helps establish a standard for the entire gaming industry,” Stevens said. “This is a testament to the idea that fighting back really does make a difference for working people.”

This is the workers’ first contract negotiation since joining the CAW in August of 2007. The CAW represents over 7,500 gaming sector workers across the country.

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Woodbine Strike Settlement - Tentative Aggreement Reached

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From:
Hemi Mitic
Sent: December 22, 2007 3:01 AM
To: * Staff Reps; * Co-ordinators
Subject: Woodbine Strike Settlement--185 new members


Greetings all,

I am pleased to advise that we have just reached a tentative agreement on behalf of our 185 Bartenders and Server members at Woodbine, Mohawk and Greenwood race track. The picket lines will come down immediately and the membership meeting will be held on Sun morning.

The committee is unanimously recommending the agreement along with Staff rep Brian Stevens.

Everyone will be back to work by Thurs. if the agreement is ratified.

I want to thank everyone who attended the picket lines . Our new members were simply overwhelmed by all of the support. This group were members of the Hotel Hospitality and Casino workers Union before joining CAW and this was there first strike.
Details to follow.

Best wishes,
Hemi
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Ratification Meeting set for Sunday (time to be announced) at:

CAW Local 252 - 1343 Matheson Blvd. E, Mississauga, Ont.
[South of 401, West of Dixie on South side of Matheson]


Thursday, December 20, 2007

Woodbine Entertainment Strike Update

Greetings,

We met with management yesterday until late in the night, to see if we could find a solution to our outstanding issues.

One of the more controversial problems we have is that the company is demanding to cut rates of pay for a number of bartenders at Mohawk, who have been paid at a higher classification for the last three collective agreements and they have now decided that with CAW they’re going to cut those rates, which is just unacceptable.

They are moving closer to finding some solutions to our language and representation issues, and there is no question that our activities at the picket line is influencing them to find solutions to our items.

In the meantime we are continuing to encourage as many as possible to participate on the strike lines at Mohawk and Woodbine.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to give Brian Stevens (416-567-8281) or myself (416-565-3677) a call.

I will keep you posted.

In solidarity,

Hemi Mitic

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

CAW National Office Issues Press Release

PRESS RELEASE: CANADIAN AUTO WORKERS

Attention News/Labour Editors:

CAW Locals Pledge Support for Striking Woodbine Workers

TORONTO, Dec. 18 /CNW/ - In a show of solidarity CAW local union leaders have pledged their full support for the 180 bartenders and servers on strike at three Woodbine Entertainment Group locations in Southern Ontario.

On December 17, over 50 union representatives gathered in Toronto to strategize ways to intensify efforts on the picket lines as the strike continues into its third week.

Local union leaders will be encouraging members in the Toronto and surrounding areas to join with striking workers on the picket lines over the next number of weeks at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto and the Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville.

The union has targeted Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings to increase picketing efforts, considered peak times for business at the racetracks.

Plans are also currently underway to hold a major public rally in support of the striking workers on Boxing Day, the details of which will be made available over the coming days.

For further information: Brian Stevens, CAW National Representative, (cell) (416) 567-8281 or Angelo DiCaro, CAW Communications, (cell) (416) 606-6311


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WE MUST DO OUR PART

All members of Local 2007 are encouraged to support our Brothers and Sisters in their struggle with WEG.
You are reminded that picketing begins at 4:00 pm weekdays and at 12:00 noon on weekends.

Picketing is escalating and further support from area CAW locals will increase.

We all know how difficult it can be to effectively picket at Woodbine and Mohawk.

The battle that our fellow workers face here is ours to share.

For more picketing information call Brian Henderson at 647-504-8499

PLEASE NOTE :

We are pleased to announce a new feature on our website.
Check out > CONNECTIONS - for complete contact info & LINKS

CLICK the link in the upper right corner (under CAW Local 2007 logo).

Friday, December 14, 2007

SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING REPORT

At the special membership meeting held Wednesday Dec. 12, the proposed Constitution and Bylaws for CAW Local 2007 was unanimously approved.

The new CAW Local 2007 Constitution and Bylaws is available on our Documents and Reports page. (See NEW FEATURE - on right, below logo)

The members in attendance also unanimously approved John Stafford (Chair) and Nancy Maher as the Election Committee to oversee the upcoming Executive Board Elections (see below).

Nominations were received for the following positions on the Executive.

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Secretary Treasurer
  • 2 Trustees
PLEASE NOTE:
As per our new Constitution.

All eligible Members shall be automatically nominated for each office for which they may be eligible if they accept the nomination orally at the Nomination Meeting or in writing within seven (7) days of the Nomination Meeting. Members may nominate other Members within (5) days of the Nomination Meeting by notifying the Local Union in writing. Any means of communication which is capable of producing a written record will be acceptable. It is the responsibility of the nominator to notify the nominee that they have been nominated so they can accept the nomination in a timely manner.

Nomination are still open for all positions until 9:00 pm Dec. 17th, 2007.
Acceptances must be submitted by 9:00 pm Dec.19, 2007.

Both nomination and/or acceptances must be in writing as per above.
Fax ,or email is acceptable.

POST to Local Union Office
FAX to 416-628-7959
EMAIL to jstafford@cawlocal2007.ca

The Election Meeting will be held on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008 (details to follow)

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BARTENDERS & SERVERS STRIKE

All members of Local 2007 are encouraged to support our Brothers and Sisters in their struggle with WEG.
You are reminded that picketing begins at 4:00 pm weekdays and at 12:00 noon on weekends.

Picketing is escalating and further support from area CAW locals will increase.

See the following appeal sent by the National Union to all area Locals.

We all know how difficult it can be to effectively picket at Woodbine and Mohawk.

The battle that our fellow workers face here is ours to share.

For more picketing information call Brian Henderson at 647-504-8499

Message from our CAW National Representative, Brian Stevens:

Thanks to those that made their way to the picket lines last night at Woodbine and beginning today (Thursday) we are escalating the picket line activity and your support would be very helpful. Woodbine has multiple entrances and the more people that come out, the greater our ability to have some effect on the operations there. We have established a picket headquarters at the Comfort Hotel (455 Rexdale at hwy 27) if people want to check in there first to see if any particular entrance needs some added support.
In sol
Brian


Tuesday, December 04, 2007

CAW News Release

Media advisory for immediate release – CAW Ontario Pack distribution
December 4, 2007

Possible Strike at Three Woodbine Entertainment Group Locations

(Toronto) - One hundred & eighty bartenders and servers represented by the CAW at three Woodbine Entertainment Group locations will be on strike as of 4:00 p.m. today if an agreement with the employer cannot be reached. Negotiations have been ongoing since mid-September.

“The company has tabled a list of concessions and seems to be provoking a dispute," said Hemi Mitic, Assistant to CAW National President Buzz Hargrove.

The strike would take effect at both Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks and at Greenwood Teletheatre located at Kingston & Queen Street, Toronto and will also affect beverage services at OLG Mohawk and Woodbine Slots operations.

"In an environment where the employer is reaping greater profits, it's time to share that with the workers who make it all happen," Mitic added.

Picket lines will be set up at all locations in the event of a strike.

-30-

For further information contact: Hemi Mitic (cell) 416-565-3677 or CAW National Representative Brian Stevens (cell) 416-567-8281

Monday, December 03, 2007

WEG Bartenders and Servers - Deadline Approaches

The WEG Bartenders and Servers are currently negotiating their first contract with WEG as a new CAW members.
In the event of a labour dispute, mutuel employees are required to work.

We should support our brothers and sisters in any way legally possible.

In solidarity
Brian H

Click here to view CAW Bargaining Report - Nov 30