The Starlight Casino in New Westminster could be headed for a lengthy 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 Starlight, owned by Gateway Casinos, had voted 78 per cent in favour of a strike. The tweet also said that workers at the Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby had voted 88.6 per cent in favour of a strike.
“Bargaining committees are meeting to plan next steps,” the tweet said.
Both casinos generate significant revenues for the cities of Burnaby and New Wesminster.
Back in July, unionized employees at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam went back at work after voting to ratify — barely — a new labour contract with the company, ending a 10-week strike.
It’s possible that the Coquitlam contract could head off a strike by setting a standard that the Starlight and Grand Villa could follow.
In July, 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.”
She said employees on the higher end of the pay scale would see an immediate approximate wage lift of five per cent while those on the lower end would receive an increase of 31 per cent. Wages will also increase two per cent per year over the three-year deal and a new targeted benefit pension plan is included.
Workers had been on strike since May 11 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 at the time that members were concerned about the casino’s decision to phase out poker and craps tables, whose dealers tend to have higher-paying jobs. The company would not confirm the decision to The Tri-City News.
Contract language was added following the failed ratification vote that moved up wage increases in the scale and clarified language around layoffs and recall notification, Smith added. Still, she conceded the contract was ratified by “a slim margin” of 57 per cent.
“I think that speaks to the uncertainty,” she said. “We are going to have to continue to work really hard to protect our members’ interests.”
- With files from The Tri-City News
