Session scheduled Monday, June 25th
Ongoing negotiations between Gateway Casinos and their employees went to mediation over the weekend. BC Government Employees Union Executive Vice-President, Doug Kinna says progress was made but salary wasn't the focus. “There’s a number of issues on working conditions, classification, scheduling, and, you just look at those because you want to narrow the gap before you get into the difficult money issues.”
The collective agreement ended in September and negotiations have been ongoing since March. “We’re getting there. It’s always a back and forth so we have another day scheduled on June 25th so hopefully we’ll be able to go into all the issues on that day,” said Kinna. Once again, a mediator will be used in the June 25th session.
Earlier this month employees across the Okanagan voted 93 percent in favour of striking, but, “Job action is the last thing we want to do,” according to Kinna.
Gateway Casinos employs just under 700 people in the Okanagan, at Playtime Casino in Kelowna as well as in Penticton, Kamloops and Vernon.
The Union is seeking a pay increase that’s closer to what it says is an 18 dollar an hour living wage in Kelowna. Some employees are earning as low 11 dollars/hr.
