Canadian casino to use more part-timers

WINDSOR, Ontario, April 7 (UPI) -- The Caesars Windsor casino in the Canadian border city is reducing the number of full-time workers and increasing part-time jobs, the company said.

The casino employs about 3,700 workers of all kinds but announced Monday it was laying off 66 full-time and eight part-time staff, mostly in the food and beverage department, the Windsor Star reported.

However, it also announced 77 new positions in that department, 67 of which were part-time.

Casino spokeswoman Holly Ward told the Star expenses are up because of the new hotel tower, restaurant, convention center and the 5,000-seat Colosseum in which such performers as Jay Leno, Celine Dion and Brooks and Dunn perform.

"This is a much more expensive facility to run," Ward said. "Celine Dion doesn't work for free."

Pam Leach, the casino liaison for unionized workers said she was unhappy with the announcement.

"We have a collective agreement that says the casino cannot go over 33 percent of part-time employees in any department," she said to the Star. "So having all these full-time positions being laid off and all these part-time postings going up, they're more or less telling us that they're going to go to the maximum of 33 percent."