Casino Rama recently announced its intention to suspend the shuttle service for workers, leaving many employees fuming.
Gateway Casinos & Entertainment sent out a communication to the staff at its Casino Rama facility in Orillia, Ontario, informing them of the suspension of the workers’ shuttle service. This has caused frustration among employees, with many relying on the shuttle to get to and from the casino.
Casino Rama is operated by Gateway Casinos & Entertainment. The property has a notable financial impact on the local community, bringing in millions of dollars of tax gaming revenue. The gambling conglomerate noted that the decision to suspend the shuttle service was because the number of employees using it has drastically declined over the last two years.
Casino Rama Staff Seeking Alternative Transport Options
As a result of the service suspension, an employee of the casino, Jack Winer, sent a letter to Orillia mayor, Steve Clarke, stating that staff members are doubtful the casino will reverse its decision and bring back the shuttle. Winer explained the negative impact the service suspension has, noting that he is one of close to 100 employees who have been impacted by the sudden shutdown.
In his request to the city, Winer discussed alternative transport service to the casino, indicating that none of the affected employees are looking for a discounted service. He claims that most staff would be ok with a CA$20 fee per day. Winer also reminded the mayor that when the casino launched, it offered a free shuttle for staff and patrons.
Rob Mitchell, the director of public affairs at Casino Rama, commented that the decision to scrap the shuttle service was made due to declining usage. Mitchell explained that the casino tried to salvage the programme by introducing a nominal fee, but it was insufficient to cover the costs due to the low number of users. In his words, less than 60 employees used the shuttle daily.
Steve Batchelor, an agent of Unifor Local 1090, which represents most of the employees at Casino Rama, noted that the cancellation of the shuttle service has had a negative impact on staff. Batchelor shared that the number of affected employees is around 34. However, he also revealed that the employer has no contractual obligations to the union’s members to provide such service.
