by Wayne Moore - May 2, 2008 CASTANET
Workers at four Lake City Casino operations in the interior are prepared to walk the picket line to back contract demands. Employees at casinos in Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops voted 86 per cent in favour of strike action if talks aimed at a new contract are unsuccessful. Talks between the company and the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union are set to resume May 6 in Kelowna. "Both the union and the employer have jointly asked for help from the Labour Relations Board and it's expected that a mediator will be helping at the bargaining table next week," says union negotiator, Mike Orders. "The strong strike vote result is an extremely positive step. It's really brought our members together and solidified their commitment to win a new collective agreement." Orders says there are no short term plans to serve strike notice. The two sides reached a tentative deal in early March with the help of Labour Relations Board Mediator, Mark Brown. Workers turned down the agreement by a three-to-one margin. The company employs approximately 500 workers at its four interior casinos. Casino workers last hit the picket line in the summer of 2001 to back contract demands. Workers have been without a contract since September, 2007.
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