Gateway Casinos which operates four casinos in Okanagan, British Columbia where workers are on strike, is calling out the striking workers for taking too long to bring proposals to the table.
It warned last week that this could lead to a protracted interruption.
The British Columbia Government and Service Employees Union BCGEU represents about 700 casino employees who have been on strike since July 1, plus 400 workers at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver, which has been on strike for two months.
Three days of mediation left Gateway unhappy with the union’s proposal. It demanded a new proposal before July 20, which was the earliest that the union said it could bring a new offer.
The union proposes what it says would be a “living wage” and which Gateway calls “unreasonable.” A Gateway spokesman declared, “The union has proposed that a Casino Security officer would be making 23 per cent more than the starting rate of a trained entry level RCMP officer. For other positions the union is asking for rates that are comparable to the earnings of tradespeople, nurses and school teachers.”
Union spokesman Doug Kinna stood firm and said the union was ready to return to talks anytime.
The Gateway casinos are continuing to operate but with administrators, but, said a spokesman, “We’re not able to provide our customers with our full experience.”
The strike coincides with recent revelations of money laundering in British Columbian casinos detailed in a report that was issued through the office of BC Attorney General David Eby.
Mediation negotiating sessions were set for July 20, 21 and 22 in an attempt to resolve the three-week strike by 675 union-member workers at casinos at Cascades Kamloops, Cascades Penticton, playtime Kelowna and Lake City Vernon, all operated by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. in British Columbia, Canada. The previous collective agreement expired in September.
Gateway Casinos Public Affairs Director Tanya Gabara said, “We know a fair and reasonable collective agreement for both our staff and our company is possible and remain committed to these negotiations to reach a deal and get our employees back to work.”
Gabara said the union has proposed that a casino security officer would make 23 per cent more than the starting salary of a trained entry level Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. She added for other positions, the union has asked for rates comparable to the earnings of trades people, nurses and teachers. Gabara said Gateway proposed wage rate increases of 2.4 percent in the first year of the collective agreement, and 2 percent per year thereafter.
Caesars Windsor employees went on strike for two months and reached essentially the same deal they rejected in April, Gabara noted. The Rock Casino Coquitlam has been on strike since May 11 with no contract resolution in sight.
