About 60 unionised staff at Auckland's Sky City didn't show for work today, many joining a picket at the Sky Tower to protest a pay dispute. The strike began at 10am and was to continue for 24 hours, with staff unhappy at the company's pay offer of a 4 per cent increase this year and 3.5 per cent next year. Unite national secretary and union advocate Matt McCarten said there was plenty of passion from striking staff and they would continue...

Brantford, Ontario - Talks have broken off in efforts to end a 48-day strike by Ontario casino workers in Brantford, Sudbury and at Toronto's Woodbine Raceway. Negotiations have been held in Barrie for the past 10 days between the Canadian Auto Workers union and the Ontario Lottery Corporation. But a CAW source tells a Brantford radio station (CKPC) the talks broke off Friday morning.

Atlantic City - Thousands of casino workers in yellow shirts with the United Auto Workers insignia marched with their union brethren from several states on one of the city's busiest streets yesterday to make a point. The rally and march, which swelled to about 5,000 strong by midafternoon - on the official first day of summer and on one of Atlantic City's busiest gambling days of the week...

Las Vegas - Construction workers building a massive casino complex on the Las Vegas Strip expected to return to work late Tuesday after a one-day walkout over safety concerns at the site where six workers have died since 2006. The general contractor of MGM Mirage Inc.'s CityCenter project will arrange for worker safety training and will allow union and business leaders full access to the site at all times, union officials said.

Two casinos operated by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation have shut down following a strike overnight by the Canadian Auto Workers union. OLG Casino Brantford in Brantford, Ontario, and Sudbury Downs Slots in Sudbury were closed after a collective agreement between the company and the union expired at midnight, the casino operator said in a statement distributed by Canada Newswire.

Casino Windsor avoided its fourth strike in five rounds of talks Wednesday by agreeing to keep one of the highest ratios of full-time workers in the industry. Ken Lewenza, president of CAW Local 444, said his casino members should be extremely grateful to have dodged both a strike and a major concession on the number of them who work part-time.

Chester, West Virginia (AP) -- Workers walked the picket line at Mountaineer Casino Racetrack & Resort for a fourth day Tuesday, complaining that casino executives made empty promises about great-paying jobs. The strike by 200 union cashiers, slot technicians and money room workers began early Saturday. No new talks are scheduled between the casino and Local 23...

Morgantown, West Virginia (AP) - Some 200 cashiers, slot technicians and money room employees are set to strike at midnight Saturday at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in Chester, in protest of "poverty wages" that make health care and other basic needs unaffordable. If a strike takes place, the track's attorney says supervisors, managers and other employees will cover for the missing employees.

Toronto - CAW Local 1090 members voted today in favour of a new collective agreement at the Great Blue Heron Charity Casino ending a strike that began September 7 at the Port Perry, Ontario gaming facility. The membership voted 58 per cent in favour of the agreement at a ratification meeting today. They return to work starting Wednesday, September 19th at 4pm. The new contract includes a minimum wage increase of USD 2.20 per hour over the life of the agreement.