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June 28, 2018 - 11:45 AM
Workers at four casinos in the Thompson-Okanagan are preparing to walk off the job tomorrow.
The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union says in a media release casino workers in Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton will go on strike tomorrow, June 29, after mediated talks with Gateway Casinos broke down earlier this week.
The union represents more than 675 employees at Playtime Casino in Kelowna, Lake City Casino in Vernon, and Cascades Casinos in Kamloops and Penticton. The unionized staff include table games workers, slot attendants, count room employees, security guards and guest services and maintenance staff.
The strike threat comes after the employer and the union could not come to an agreement on wages and benefits.
“We entered mediation with the hope that Gateway would present a reasonable offer in a timely way but we were met with more stall tactics,” BCGEU president Stephanie Smith says in the release. “When it became clear that the company was not going to make an acceptable offer, the bargaining committee decided to exercise the strike mandate given to them by workers."
The union says it is looking for wages that would bring them in-line with other casino workers in the province.
Contract talks began in September 2017 after the previous agreement expired.
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