Caesars Windsor and Unifor extend existing collective agreement

WINDSOR, ONT. -- Caesars Windsor and Unifor are extending the existing collective agreement for one year.

Unifor Local 444 announced the extension on social media on Friday.

Attention Caesar’s Members

In this Covid climate with so much uncertainty , lockdowns, opening and capacity limits, it made sense amongst your leadership and with a mutual agreement with the employer to exercise our option to extend the existing agreement for 12 months. pic.twitter.com/k2J4eXJYnM

— Local 444 Unifor (@LOCAL444UNIFOR) January 8, 2021

“In this COVID climate with so much uncertainty, lockdowns, opening and capacity limits, it made sense amongst your leadership and with a mutual agreement with the employer to exercise our option to extend the existing agreement for 12 months,” said the post from Local 444 president David Cassidy.

Cassidy said it is a “significant win.”

“Caesars understanding the unusual circumstances has further agreed to extend benefits to all qualifying employees for the length of the contract extension,” he said.

The casino employs about 2,100 workers, many have been off since the first lockdown in March. Some employees were able to return when Caesars partially reopened in October, but the casino was forced to close again amid gathering restrictions later in the fall.

“Our hope and our prayers are that this virus soon begins to falter, and the province’s capacity limits begin to lift so we can all get back to doing what we have always done best and that is offering the finest gaming experience in the world,” said Cassidy.