The three women are Estrella Adidas, Anicia Reyes, and Yolanda Bullan, who worked as chefs at the casino's staff restaurant. In April 2020, they were fired with a promise that they would only have worked for a few weeks. However, when the business resumed, they were not recovered. And in fact, their positions are now gone.
Mr Adidas shared that he respected the Manitoba Liquor and Lottery Company and thought it was a great employer promoting social responsibility, positive culture and fairness. In her complaints, she says she is saddened that the royal family, which boasts respect for values, does not recognize her at the most vulnerable time of her life.
The three workers filed a complaint against MLL at the end of May, claiming they had never been recalled for being old and Filipino. They also believe that the Manitoba Civil Service Union did not do a good job of representing them. Mr Adidas explained that he and others were never summoned despite seeing posts about other positions.
When McPhilips Station Casino and Club Regent Casino reopened in the summer of 2021, three people expected to be recalled, but it didn't. When no one contacted him, in October 2021, Mr Adidas contacted his manager but was told to apply for another position. She contacted Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Civil Service Union, but to no avail.
Fired workers endure some very tough trials during the lockdown, sharing that they have to live on bread and water to survive. Mr Adidas said he learned about his removal from office in November through an email from the Human Resources Department. And they were offered jobs at lower wages, but she and two other chefs refused to accept them.
A representative of the MBL said the royal agency was aware of the complaint. Under the new normal conditions, Crown should coordinate operations and rebalance its activities and services to meet customer needs, the spokesman explained. In April 2020, Crown laid off more than 1,300 employees, and now more than 1,200 have returned to work.
Union Response
MGEU Chairman Kyle Ross said the union did not stand still and fought for the rights of its members affected by the layoffs. Mr Ross admitted, unfortunately, that some Members were fully involved in the process and decided not to participate. He also argues that the union takes all complaints seriously and is confident that appropriate presentations have been provided to all members of the negotiating group, as well as the former members.