In a victory announced at nearly 11:00pm on Friday September 7th after four days of hearings and vote counting proceedings at the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board, hree-quarters of Casino workers who cast ballots in union certification voting conducted by the Labour Board voted in favour of joining the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 902.

Casino Nova Scotia employs nearly 600 workers at it's Halifax facility, including table games card dealers, bartenders, food service workers, slot machine attendants, cleaners and property service workers, etc.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the largest and fastest growing union in North America, with 98,000 workers in Canada and 1.9 million workers worldwide.

SEIU Local 902: the Organizing Union, based in Atlantic Canada & with offices in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is Atlantic Canada's fastest growing union Local. SEIU Local 902 represents workers in the gaming sector, healthcare, multi-service, education and municipal services.

quote:

---

Originally posted by huberman:
Casinos and the growth of gambling are truly one of the worst developments in modern Canadian society. Shouldn't a progressive society be eliminating Casinos and the disastrous effects gambling has on individuals, families, children etc.? On a similar note I see the Power Workers' Union promoting "clean coal" and nuclear energy in Ontario. Nothing to celebrate in terms of entrenched interests promoting such harmful businesses.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by huberman:
Americans don't tolerate Canadian unions controlling their labour relations, why do we celebrate this?

---

I think it would be very nice if purely Canadian unions represented all Canadian workers. But I certainly would not put unionization of workers on hold until that corner is turned. That would make Canadian as well as non-Canadian bosses in this country far far too happy.

ETA: As for your first question, the SEIU, like many internationals (though not all), states that all dues money collected in Canada remains in Canada. For example:

quote:

---

Our membership dues are 1.6% of gross bi-weekly earnings to a maximum of $32 bi-weekly. Minimum dues are $5.00 bi-weekly.

* For example, an employee earning $12.00 per hour who works 48 hours in a two-week period earns $576.00. Her dues would be $576.00 x 1.6% = $9.22 bi-weekly.

Our International's constitution requires that SEIU Locals pay $7.30 per member on a monthly basis. BUT because of SEIU Canada's autonomy, all of that money is returned to Canada. In other words, dues from Canada stay in Canada.

---

[ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: unionist ]

quote:

---

huberman: why do we celebrate this?

---

It's "the largest successful private-sector union organizing victory in well over twenty-five years" in Nova Scotia, that's why.

Here are some quotes from the article:

"...it's a tactic to get young progressives to work really long hours under stressful conditions. It's presented as revolutionary, but that couldn't be further from the truth." (p. 16)

"There was so much fear bred into the union staffers - fear about getting involved in the staff union, of losing your job, of..." (p. 16)

"I've heard so many stories about people having much worse experiences as organizers... I was hired at a time when SEIU were embracing the US model of aggressively organizing new workers." (p. 16)

It goes on to talk about recruiting university grads "and then working them into the ground for six months to two years."

Check out/buy a copy at your local independent bookshop or order from them directly.

quote:

---

huberman: I am completely in favour of workers being unionized.

I am not in favour of [blah blah]

---

You've made six seven contributions to this thread and it's still not clear where you stand. Maybe you should join the Liberals. Ha ha.

Apparently I wasn't clear enough. It's not enough that you're in favour of the abstract idea of unionization "in general". It's a question of supporting these workers in the current circumstances they find themselves. And since your second paragraph seems to contradict your first paragraph, I've gotta presume that the ambiguity suits you just fine. To me, that means you're indifferent, at best, to this successful unionization drive.

[ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

Some workers got organized in a precedent-setting union campaign that may very well act as inspiration for yet more workers to be unionized in Nova Scotia. It's not perfect, as you've pointed out, but it's unquestionably better than not being organized. Somehow you've convinced yourself that agnosticism on this point is a good thing. It isn't.

Edited to add: Whoops. I missed this the first time around:

quote:

---

huberman: Casinos are a cancer on society, much like the drive to privatizing health care. Both should not exist and should be resisted as a priority.

---

O.K. Now I understand your position. You'd rather see the casino workers lose their jobs than get unionized. Maybe the Liberals would be too left wing for you. Try the Christian Heritage Party, or something.

[ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

Gambling as a social issue has absolutely nothing to do with the labour relations issues being talked about on this thread. Start another thread in the Body and Soul forum on that if you feel like discussing it.

quote:

---

I think it would be very nice if purely Canadian unions represented all Canadian workers. But I certainly would not put unionization of workers on hold until that corner is turned. That would make Canadian as well as non-Canadian bosses in this country far far too happy.

---

what he said.

If I recall my Labour History, (and I may very well not) there was a time in our history when the AFL CIO and such were using Canadian unions as cash cows, and giving little in return. This has changed. Further, the US union movement developed along very different paths than the movement in Canada despite the organisational connections. The early heavy lifters in the Canadian movement were more from the UK union movements and traditions, and we have always been more independant in that regard. (I say all this in full humility knowing there are a few posters present who know a lot more about this than I)

Anyway, I for one celebrate this victory, and congrats all around!

[edited for spelling]

[ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: oldgoat ]

And who's to say what industry is "in the public good" anyway? The government? The Conservative government? Canadian law would start to look like Israeli law; everyone has such and such a right, but then there are these "exceptions", ....

I don't understand why you're quoting a "socialist" magazine anyway. Clearly, this sort of point of view has got nothing to do with socialism.

___________________

oldgoat: The SEIU has actually been victimized by raiding by Buzz Hargrove's CAW. Near as I can tell the CLC somewhat mis-handled the issue. But, in any case, they have a CLC-approved Canadian Constitution, they've not followed the SEIU in the U.S. in disaffiliating from the central labour body in that country by disafilliating from the CLC here in Canada, and their parent union, in any case, is one of the few AFL-CIO unions to be growing.

All this is secondary to the main point, which is why I have avoided this. The simple question is one of an organizing victory in Nova Scotia by workers who happen to work in a casino. They deserve support and solidarity. This is ABC. What happens after that is of secondary importance.

[ 10 September 2007: Message edited by: N.Beltov ]

And there is nothing to celebrate when a foreign corporation or union increases control in Canada, especially when their unions and corporations are far more regressive and less socially oriented.

quote:

---

N. Beltov wrote:
I don't understand why you're quoting a "socialist" magazine anyway. Clearly, this sort of point of view has got nothing to do with socialism.

---

I think huberman is absolutely spot on when he points out that

I think huberman has a good point when he says

Although it may be an unpopular viewpoint, I feel huberman is well within his rights to try to claim that

quote:

---

robbie_dee:
Perhaps one day a socialist government will come to power that would both (1) outlaw casino gambling and

---

It was the NDP in Ontario that built casinos, including in Windsor, after condemning the casino economy as immoral.

There is no doubt in my mind of three things you argue. The first is that Canadian workers should be masters in their own house and that the tie to the amerikans is not progressive in the form it can take. The second is that gamblng, as with many other aspects of our economy are counterproductive to the health and well being of people. The third is that we exist in a society that allows, even promotes, industries that are destructive to the general good.

All of this said, the reality is that far too many workers caught in the social web and economic realities are employed contrary to the general good. The second is that the move to a purely Canadian labour movement is not swift, but continues. The reason the SEIU has "devolved" in Canada is due to nationalist pressure. Take a look at the never ending struggle here in B.C. for a Canadian Carpenters' Union. As a socialist, you will appreciate that being inside the workers' organizations and participating in the economy is the only credible and direct platform for changing things.

quote:

---

Originally posted by huberman:

Unions, the NDP and the left should stick to their original principles on this - they were right in condemning the casino economy as immoral.

---

Nevertheless, the bottom line is that workers are workers and deserve the right to collective bargaining. That is not a "moral" issue. It is the real world.

I could find reasons not to organize workers in any capitalist industry until after the revolution, but it would be silly, counterproductive and mean a complete blind eye to actual material conditions.