More Gateway Casino workers join BCGEU

About 100 casino workers from two of the Lower Mainland's largest gaming facilities have voted to join the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union to make their workplace better.

The new union members include 90 security staff and cashiers from the Starlight Casino in New Westminster, and a dozen cashier supervisors from the Gateway Villa Casino in Burnaby. Both facilities are owned by Gateway Casinos Corp. which operates gaming facilities throughout B.C.

"We extend a warm welcome to our newest members," says BCGEU president Darryl Walker. "They joined our union to have their priority issues like fair treatment, respect in the workplace and job security addressed.

"We're honoured to be the union of choice for a growing number of casino workers in B.C.," he says.

Walker says the new employee groups will be included in existing union certifications already covering 600 BCGEU members at the Gateway Villa and 370 members at Starlight. Contract negotiations for members at both these locations are already underway with Gateway, and the new members will be included in these talks, Walker says.

In all, BCGEU represents close to 1,500 workers at Gateway gaming facilities including 500 BCGEU members at affiliated Lake City casinos in Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon.

Walker says BCGEU will continue its organizing efforts at casinos to bring the union advantage to more workplaces.