Canadian casino workers vote to strike

The employees of the Grand Villa and the Starlight casinos in Burnaby are soon to go on a strike following a similar action by Hard Rock workers.

Canada.- Labour disputes in British Columbia seemed to have eased once the employees of the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver in Coquitlam went back to work in July after a 10-week strike. However, employees of the Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby and the Starlight Casino in New Westminster have voted to go on strike themselves.

The B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU) announced the upcoming strikes through Twitter after the Grand Villa workers voted 88.6% in favour of a strike, while the Starlight vote had a 78% approval. “Bargaining committees are meeting to plan next steps,” the Union said in a tweet.

According to a July statement by BCGEU president Stephanie Smith, the Hard Rock Casino contract “set a new standard in terms of wages and benefits,” which is why other venues’ workers chose to strike.

Wages have been updated and raised from 5% to 31%, depending on the pay scale, and will also include other updates such as a new targeted benefit pension plan. The agreement was approved by “a slim margin,” Smith described, of 57%.

“I think that speaks to the uncertainty,” she said about the contract . “We are going to have to continue to work really hard to protect our members’ interests.”