Abstracts
Abstract
Research objective: Through relatively higher unionization rates within the casino industry, casino employment provides a counterexample to the connection between low-skill service work and low wages. The existing literature, however, suggests that casino workers embrace a commodified vision of their labour. It is of interest to understand whether and how unions are successful in decommodifying both ideologically and materially, wage entitlements in this expanding industry as this is a main mechanism through which unions challenge income inequality. This article examines the Canadian Auto Workers’ (CAW) attempt to decommodify wages in the casino industry.
Methodology: These findings are based on a case study of Casino Windsor, located in Windsor, Ontario—the automotive capital of Canada and the first city to host a resort casino outside of Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Ninety-one interviews were conducted with Windsor stakeholders (20), and automotive (43) and casino (28) workers. The local newspaper from 1994-2014 is also examined and descriptive statistics are utilized.
Results: Casino workers initially did adopt a decommodified vision of wage entitlements; yet, due to political—the New Democratic Party of Ontario—and institutional—low sectoral union density—forces, casino workers during 2014-2015 interviews embrace a service mind where wages are determined by a market-oriented human capital model.
Conclusions: CAW union representatives and the casino membership now view the CAW’s attempt to bring an industrial mindset into the casino as a mistake, naturalizing the link between decommodified wages in automotive manufacturing and the market-oriented wage entitlements of the service sector. This case study marks a critical lost opportunity by the CAW to decommodify wage entitlements in the casino industry and the broader service sector.
Keywords:
- labour union,
- casino,
- wage,
- service sector,
- employment
Résumé
Objectif de recherche : Grâce à des taux de syndicalisation relativement plus élevés dans les casinos, l’emploi dans ce secteur constitue un contre-exemple du lien entre travail de service peu qualifié et bas salaires. La littérature existante, cependant, suggère que les travailleurs de casino adoptent une vision marchandisée de leur travail. Il est intéressant de cerner si et comment les syndicats parviennent à « démarchandiser », tant idéologiquement que matériellement, les salaires dans cette industrie en expansion, car il s’agit là d’un mécanisme important par lequel les syndicats peuvent parvenir à remettre en question les inégalités de revenus. Cet article examine la tentative des Travailleurs canadiens de l’automobile (TCA) de « démarchandiser » les salaires dans le secteur des casinos.
Méthodologie : Ces résultats sont fondés sur une étude de cas du Casino Windsor, situé à Windsor, en Ontario — la capitale de l’automobile au Canada et la première ville à accueillir un casino « station de vacances » (resort casino en anglais) en dehors d’Atlantic City et de Las Vegas. Au total, 91 entrevues furent réalisées, soit 20 avec des intervenants de Windsor, 43 avec des travailleurs de l’automobile et 28 avec des salariés du casino. De plus, le journal local fut dépouillé de 1994 à 2014, et des statistiques descriptives furent analysées.
Résultats : Les travailleurs du casino ont initialement adopté une vision « démarchandisée » de leurs droits salariaux; cependant, en raison des forces politiques — le Nouveau Parti démocratique de l’Ontario — et des forces institutionnelles — de faible densité syndicale dans le secteur des services —, les employés de casino, durant les entrevues menées en 2014-2015, adoptèrent une « vision service » (en anglais, service mind approach), où les salaires sont déterminés par un modèle de capital humain axé sur le marché.
Conclusions : Les représentants syndicaux des TCA et les membres du syndicat du casino voient maintenant la tentative des TCA d’introduire une « mentalité industrielle » dans le casino comme une erreur. À présent, ces derniers naturalisent le lien entre salaires « démarchandisés » dans l’industrie automobile et salaires marchands du secteur des services. Cette étude de cas illustre une occasion manquée par les TCA de démarchandiser les salaires dans le secteur des casinos et des services en général.
Mots-clés:
- syndicat,
- casino,
- salaire,
- secteur des services,
- emploi
Resumen
Objetivo de investigación: Gracias a las tasas de sindicalización relativamente más altas en la industria de los casinos, el empleo en ese sector constituye un contraejemplo del vínculo entre trabajo de servicios poco calificado y los bajos salarios. La literatura existente sugiere, sin embargo, que los trabajadores de casino adoptan una visión mercantilizada de su trabajo. Es interesante comprender si los sindicatos logran “desmercantilizar” los beneficios salarios en esta industria en expansión, y cómo lo hacen, tanto ideológicamente como materialmente, pues se trata de un mecanismo importante por el cual los sindicatos pueden cuestionar las desigualdades de ingresos. Este artículo examina la tentativa de los Trabajadores automotrices canadienses (TCA) de “desmercantilizar” los salarios en el sector de los casinos.
Metodología : Esta resultados se basan en un estudio de caso del Casino Windsor, situado en Windsor, Ontario --- la capital del automóvil en Canadá y la primera ciudad a recibir un casino de tipo « complejo vacacional » (resort) a parte de Atlantic City y de Las Vegas. En total, se realizaron 91 entrevistas, 20 con inversionistas de Windsor, 43 con los trabajadores del automóvil et 28 con empleados del casino. Además, el periódico local fue analizado de 1994 a 2014 y las estadísticas descriptivas fueron analizadas.
Resultados : Los trabajadores del casino han adoptado inicialmente una visión “desmercantilizada” de los beneficios salariales, sin embargo en razón de las fuerzas políticas - el Nuevo Partido Democrático de Ontario – y de las fuerzas institucionales – baja densidad sindical en el sector de servicios --, los empleados de casino durante las entrevistas llevadas a cabo en 2014-2015, adoptaron una visión servicio (service mind), en la cual los salarios son determinados por un modelo de capital humano orientado hacia el mercado.
Conclusiones: Los representantes sindicales del TCA y los miembros del sindicato del casino ven ahora como un error la tentativa del TCA de introducir una « mentalidad industrial » en el casino que naturalizan el vínculo entre salarios “desmercantilizados” en la industria del automóvil y salarios mercantiles del sector de servicios. Este estudio de caso ilustra una ocasión perdida crítica por parte del TCA para “desmercantilizar” los beneficios salariales en el sector de casinos y de servicios en general.
Palabras claves:
- sindicato,
- casino,
- salario,
- sector de servicios,
- empleos
Appendices
Appendices
References
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