BCLC would investigate casinos on strike

The gaming authority was urged to investigate current casino operations in those casinos.

Canada.- Casino workers from the gaming brand Gateway Casinos have urged the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) to confirm whether the company’s Thompson-Okanagan casinos are currently operating correctly while workers are on strike. Workers argued that unregulated casino operations could lead to incidents in the Canadian casinos.

According to local press, members of the British Colombia Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) on strike at Gateway Casinos’ 4 Thompson-Okanagan casinos presented to the BCLC office in Kamloops the claim to investigate the company’s operations during the workers strike.

“We’ve got questions about how Gateway Casinos have been operating their Thompson-Okanagan casinos,” said Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President. “Based on what our members have witnessed and reports we’ve heard, it sounds like Gateway hasn’t been living up to their obligations under BCLC and provincial gaming laws and regulations during this strike.”

“At a time when the entire casino industry is supposed to be under increased scrutiny, we believe the BCLC should shut down Gateway’s casinos until the company can demonstrate that they are willing and able to operate responsibly,” said Smith.

The unionised workers have been demanding wage increases of 62% as they’ve been without a contract since September 2017. However, the company says the demands “weren’t reasonable” but was rebutted by the BGCEU, which said they are not as large as they seem in the context of their current low wages.