Lake City casino workers reach new tentative agreement

May 09, 2008

A new tentative collective agreement covering approximately 500 BC Government and Service Employees’ Union members at Lake City Casinos has been reached with the assistance of a mediator.

Union members at the casinos in Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon will vote the week of May 26 on whether to accept the new agreement.

Members had returned to the bargaining table after rejecting an earlier tentative agreement, and registering an 86 per cent vote in favour of taking job action if necessary to back their demands for an improved agreement.

Under the revised three year agreement, all members will see higher wages, more flexibility in shift scheduling, paid training, and improved benefits.

Night shift workers will also receive a shift premium for the night time hours.

“With the help of the Labour Relations Board mediator, we have convinced the employer to make significant improvements in the wage structure, particularly for the lowest-paid workers,” said union negotiator Mike Orders.

Servers who currently start at $9 an hour will see their wage rate rise to $10.14 an hour by the third year of the agreement.

Security staff who currently earn $16.87 an hour will reach $18.29 an hour in the final year of the agreement.

The union bargaining committee is unanimously recommending acceptance of the new tentative agreement.

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Lake City casino workers reach new tentative agreement

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