Lethbridge casino workers trying to unionize

Earlier this week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their latest new applications report. In it was an application for union certification.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees filed the application on 6 December 2024 on behalf of all workers employed at Casino Lethbridge.

The casino is owned by Pure Casino Gaming Group, which is based out of Edmonton. They operate 4 casinos in Alberta: 2 in Edmonton and 1 each in Calgary and Lethbridge. Pure Casino Gaming, in turn, is owned by ONCAP, a mid-market private equity platform of Onex, which is itself a Toronto-based investment management company.

The ALRB has scheduled a hearing for this application for next Friday (20 December), during which time, representatives from Pure Casino Gaming will be able to argue why these workers shouldn’t be able to join AUPE.

Such representatives could include, Suzanne Lalonde, who is listed in the application as one of the respondents. Lalonde is a senior vice president with Pure Canadian Gaming, as well as a regional general manger, overseeing the casinos in Calgary and Lethbridge. She’s held these positions since 2012.

The company’s Calgary location has been unionized since June 2004, represented by Local 4655 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Should the ALRB approve the application, they will coordinate a certification vote for the more than 150 workers who would fall under this proposed bargaining unit.

In order to submit the application, AUPE would’ve had to show support for unionization from 40% of the workers, which in this case, would’ve meant at least 63 workers have indicated initial support, so the chances are pretty good.

But that’s still no guarantee.

For example, earlier this year, a majority of workers at a fertilizer plant in Medicine Hat voted against unionizing with Unifor, despite that initial 40% support.

Assuming that the ALRB does approve the certification and a majority of workers vote in favour of unionizing with AUPE, then their first step will be to form a bargaining committee to begin negotiating their first collective agreement.

The most recent contract for the more than 250 workers at the Calgary casino was settled back in April, 8 months after their previous contract expired. And most positions at that casino, according to this contract are still making a starting wage of less than $20 an hour.

We’ll see whether the Lethbridge workers will be able to get a better deal than that. But first, they need to overcome any unionbusting tactics the employer may attempt and win the certification vote.

Since the ALRB doesn’t archive their new applications reports, I have included a copy of this week’s report below.