BY CRAIG GILBERT
Workers at Sudbury Racetrack Slots voted three-to-one against joining the United Steelworkers of America (USWA) Friday.
About 90 Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC) employees at the slots were eligible to take place in votes held in the staff lunchroom all day.
Workers had concerns about perceived favouritism in hiring practices and retaining seniority when transferring, according to USWA organizer Denis Dallaire.
"They came to us because they wanted to have a voice in the terms and conditions of their employment," he said Wednesday.
Voting Friday were slot technicians, slot attendants, main bank workers, the ?count team,? player services workers, environmental services clerks, housekeeping staff, cashiers and gift shop attendants.
Jim Cronin is the OLGC's head of public relations.
He says the slots have a long history of success that can be attributed to the high-level service efforts of its employees.
"The OLGC recognizes and respects the right of employees to seek union representation," he said Thursday.
"However, our preference as a company is to deal with our employees directly rather than through a third party."
Workers at the separate and privately owned Sudbury Downs racetrack formed a union about three years ago.
