The Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby could be headed for a long strike like the one that happened next door in Coquitlam earlier this year.
The B.C. Government and Service employees union tweeted out today that employees of the grand villa, owned by Gateway Casinos, had voted 88.6% in favour of a strike. The tweet said that workers at the Starlight casino in new Westminster had voted 78% in favour of a strike.
Its possible that the Coquitlam contract could head off a strike by setting a standard that the Starlight and Grand Villa could follow.
Stephanie Smith, president of the BCGEU, which represents 400 workers at the United Boulevard facility, told the tri city News that “This sets a new standard in terms of wages and benefits”. Wages will also increase two percent per year over the three year deal and a new targeted pension plan is included.
Workers had been on strike since 11 May in a dispute over wages and hours of work. A tentative agreement had been reached by the company, Great Canadian Gaming Corp. And the union in june, but workers voted against ratifying that deal.
Smith said, “i think that speaks to the uncertainty”, she said “We are going to continue to work really hard to protect our members interest”.
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