More than 30 unionized employees at Shoreline Slots at Kawartha Downs are calling on Premier Doug Ford to honour a campaign promise to keep slot machines operating at the facility.
These are the same employees who weren’t offered jobs at the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough, which could open as soon as later this month.
"He said removal of the slots from racetracks was a big mistake that he is going to reverse," stated SEIU business agent Ted Mansell. "Well Mr. Ford, Kawartha Downs is losing their slots and with it, over 70 racetrack jobs so important to these employees and their community. Where's your promise when we need it the most?"
A story in today’s Peterborough Examiner reports a number of the slot machines at Kawartha Downs have already made their way to the new site and remaining ones are expected to be shipped to Toronto.
"With the province's dairy industry already in turmoil because of the new United States-Canada trade deal, we can't afford to lose jobs at Ontario's slots at race tracks that Ford promised he would preserve and restore," Mansell added. "Doug Ford's popular boast of 'a promise made is a promise kept' is ringing pretty hollow."
"Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs has offered its own team members, approximately 130 people, positions at the new Shorelines Casino Peterborough facility; however, Kawartha Downs staff who are employed by a different company have been encouraged to apply for positions that may be suitable for them based on their skill and experience," said general manager Bryan Buchanan.
Come on Mr.Ford get the slots
Come on Mr.Ford get the slots back to Kawartha Downs and other tracks that need them to survive.