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RELEASE,  Dec. 2, 2009 - Concerns over staff-reduction efforts and changes to terms and conditions of employment have prompted Casino Rama employees to reach out to the United Steelworkers (USW) for support in advancing their interests.

"Casino Rama employees contacted us about a month ago and we have been working with them to organize, to improve their working lives," said USW representative George Casselman.

"We hear them loud and clear. They want to work together to protect the terms and conditions of their jobs and gain a real voice in changes that affect them at work. They're worried about ever-increasing workloads, fair treatment every day, and especially about job security."

The USW represents close to 80,000 members in Ontario in dozens of sectors across the economy.

"Our union is all about working people helping working people," said Casselman. "Workers know they need an effective voice on the job. They're looking for a democratic process in the workplace instead of being forced to accept changes with little input or control."

The USW's cooperative campaign with Casino Rama workers will provide employees with information about their legal right to join a union. It will support the legally protected process of workers signing USW confidential union membership cards in order to ask the Ontario Labour Board to hold a secret ballot vote for employees to join the Steelworkers.

"Casino Rama is a very big name with a very public reputation, so we fully expect the company and its management to adhere to the sprit and letter of Ontario law so that employees can make this choice freely," said Casselman.

"The employees have the legal right to learn about and to choose Steelworkers union membership."


For further information: Brad James, USW, (613) 542-7331; (416) 243-8792, ext. 51228