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Interim president James Stewart will be moving to Cassidy’s former position as secretary-treasurer.

Cassidy said he even called Caesars Entertainment regional president Kevin Laforet’s boss in Las Vegas on Thursday.

“We’re shaking every tree we can, because you know what? These workers deserve a fair and equal freaking agreement and Caesars just reached out to the conciliator with our national union,” Cassidy said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Cassidy and Stewart held a rally for the striking workers, during which they demanded Caesars Windsor management return to bargaining and called for greater involvement from Windsor’s mayor and the provincial government.

There had been no direct communications since talks broke down April 18.

Cassidy said the local’s bargaining committee will meet on Monday to plan strategy before face-to-face meetings on Tuesday.

Regarding his public remarks at the rally about Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens — and his repeated mentioning of Laforet — Cassidy said: “I wanted to get a reaction. And that I did.”

Photo by Dalson Chen / Windsor Star

Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Percy Hatfield raised the strike situation in the provincial legislature on Tuesday, calling upon Ontario Minister of Labour Kevin Flynn to speak about it.

Cassidy said he feels Flynn “skated around it like a politician would.”

Along with Caesars Windsor workers, Local 444 represents employees in Fiat Chrysler Automotive’s Windsor Assembly Plant, several auto parts plants, transport services, food services, and other workplaces.

Cassidy estimates Local 444’s current active membership at around 10,000. The local also represents about 9,000 retirees.

Cassidy has been Local 444’s secretary-treasurer for nine years. He said he’s had aspirations to lead the local for some time.

“I want to put the union in the direction that I saw in the past,” Cassidy said. “One of my main goals is to bring the union to new members.”

Cassidy noted that the Windsor Assembly Plant has had about 1,800 new hires since 2015. “We need to get them involved in the union.”

dchen@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/WinStarChen