After the latest shutdown, Casino Rama employees are excited to be back at their place of work.
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment has revealed that the staff at its Casino Rama venue are thrilled to resume their work responsibilities. The last two years were bumpy for Casino Rama, with periodic closures and reopenings due to the pandemic. Now, both the staff and patrons are relieved the venue has once again started welcoming visitors on 31 January.
Due to health and safety concerns, the government of Ontario reimposed a modified Step Two of the business reopening plan on 5 January 2022. According to the regulative, indoor entertainment venues like casinos had to close their doors until 25 January. This brief lockdown aimed to stop the spread of the latest Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Back in Business
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment director of communications and PR, Robert Mitchell, shared that Casino Rama guests and employees are thrilled that the venue is back in business. He said that despite the recent snowstorm, the mood at the casino was electrifying. He also added that the company is working hard on reopening the Casino Rama entertainment centre.
The casino’s amenities, such as the restaurants and the centre bar, have also recommenced operations. Additionally, visitors can now bring a beverage with them onto the gaming floor. Over 550 employees returned to work last week, although 300 remain laid off.
Greg Weaver, Unifor Local 1090 second vice-president, noted that staff are delighted to be back at work. However, he stated that many still feel uncertain about their future and are concerned about more possible shutdowns. According to Weaver, before the first lockdown in 2020, the union had 1,170 members, which has now dwindled to 853. Weaver predicts that the casino will be hiring new staff when all restrictions get lifted.
Additionally, Weaver said that the last two years have been very stressful for casino staff due to repetitive closures and that there are still 300 employees who are laid off. He also shared that the union is negotiating with the casino to assist staff members financially during these troubled times. One of these incentives includes allowing employees to keep their vacation pay.
