Fairmount Park’s third live race of the season was canceled Tuesday after too few employees showed up to work because of a labor dispute.
“A local roofing union took some exception” to non-union roof workers hired by the track to complete repairs on the grandstand roof, track spokesman Jon Sloane said Tuesday.
The local union members set up an informational picket around two of the track’s entrances. Sloane said that enough union track employees honored the picket by choosing not to work that track officials decided to cancel the day’s racing card, which was set to begin at 1 p.m.
Sloane said the employees who opted not to work were mostly electrical workers tasked with keeping the track’s tote boards and other electronic equipment working.
“Certainly we’ll reschedule,” Sloane said. He said track officials would either add extra races onto already-scheduled cards or use purses not disbursed Tuesday to increase payouts for future races.
The next live races are scheduled for Saturday. An announcement posted on the track’s website and Facebook page apologized for the cancellation and said the public would be informed when the races would be made up.
The website for the Illinois Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association also informed its members that Tuesday’s races were canceled but that training will take place as scheduled on Wednesday.
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