Casino de Montreal dealers launch surprise 4-hour strike

Croupiers protest outside the Casino in Montreal, Saturday, May 14, 2022. The dealers went on a surprise four-hour strike late Saturday afternoon to show support for their bargaining committee. At the stroke of 4 p.m., croupiers stopped working and walked in front of the casino to denounce the deadlock in negotiations on their next collective agreement. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

Casino de Montréal dealers went on a surprise four-hour strike late Saturday afternoon to show support for their bargaining committee.

The dealers stopped working at 4 p.m. to demonstrate in front of the casino, denouncing the impasse in negotiations surrounding their next work contract.

The strike will continue until 8 p.m. Saturday night.

Loto-Québec, which manages the province's casinos, said operations at the gaming tables will continue as usual, except for in the poker room.

Parties at the bargaining table disagree on several issues, including wages, hours and work organization.

The collective agreement that regulates the working conditions of 521 dealers expired on March 31, 2020.

According to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), negotiations reached a standstill from May 7 to 8.

Loto-Québec says it wants to continue negotiations with the union "within parameters that are similar to what has been agreed to by the same bodies of employees in its other casinos."

This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on May 14, 2022.