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After a long withstanding 2 years, the impasse between 545 croupiers at the Casino de Montréal and the Société des casinos du Québec, the subsidiary of Loto-Québec may have finally been resolved.
Since May 21, 2020 – the croupiers have been on strike due to several reasons:
- Industry Incomes
Accused of only offering new employees 90% of the standardised base salary, Loto-Québec has been noted for reducing salaries from $18.40 an hour to $17.44 similar to 2017 wage levels. Met with strong resistance by existing workers, it is largely disputed to be unethical due to labour shortages further facilitated by unsavoury schedules.
- Increased Injuries
Due to the nature of a croupier’s job, dealing with customers with over 10,000 cards a day is considered the new norm. Repetitive, tedious, and taxing, disgruntled croupiers are starting to see the effects of the job after more than a decade of daily work. From tendinitis to other straining injuries, employees are starting to find a pay cut coupled with the possible repercussions a consequence that might be too much to bear.
- Poor Schedules and Breaks
In addition, Montreal Casino has effectively reduced shifts which made it hard for croupiers to make ends meet as they work 6 days a week to attain more than 30 hours a week. As the disgruntled employee’s request for more breaks of 30 minutes per hour worked: has been firmly rejected as not being part of the industry’s standard.
Due to its closure, poker games that require workers in the casino have been closed. As vast as choices are when it comes to casino games, sometimes slot machines just aren’t it for many players. Amongst the huge range of games in a casino, poker is one of the top choices as it booms from year to year. Starting out at $70.01 billion in 2021, it is forecasted to rise to $112.09 billion by 2025. A lucrative industry, it is not surprising why the ongoing strike has taken over 2 years for both parties to reach an agreement.
To put things into perspective, these are the top 3 games in casinos that drive traffic and revenue like no other.
- Slots
Machine-based and one of the easiest games available, its simplicity makes players hunger for more. By pulling a lever, a myriad of effects from audio sounds to exciting visuals appears which makes it fascinating for players.
- Poker
Much more complicated than slots with a croupier, its popularity comes in due to several variations of this card game. The few games are commonly known as Texas hold ‘em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud.
- Blackjack
Commonly surpassing Poker as one of the most sought-after games, it also requires a croupier as people participate and play against each other.
With 2 out of 3 popular casino games requiring a croupier, it is no wonder why Casino de Montréal and the croupiers have been bitterly fighting against each other. Widely known as the largest casino in Canada, Casino de Montréal shutting down its croupier sectioned games such as Poker and Blackjack has severely impacted the available casino choices for casino-goers.
With most of the games closed indefinitely, it is expected that virtual casinos would be the next best bet for players to get their poker and blackjack fix. As the advancements in technology rise rapidly, it is inevitable that Canadians would prefer placing bets in locally based online establishments that offer vast choices.
Easy to access with multiple casinos available, sites like online-casino-canada.ca makes choosing the best online casino much simpler. Coming with guides, reviews, and bonuses for every virtual casino, it highlights the ups and downs of every casino with a detailed blog meant to bring clarity to help players choose the best option. Gambling online has never been more informative and safer.
Canada’s casino catch
As the agreement is private and confidential while Canada’s biggest casino Loto-Québec decides on the next course of benefits and activities for its croupiers, there is no telling when poker and blackjack would come back to its tables. Hence, with the advancement of technology, having options online is often a godsend to tide time during the pandemic while enjoying one’s favourite game in the comfort of their own home.
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