Grand Village Casino bargaining update

To:  All BCGEU Members at the Grand Villa Casino (Gateway Casino)

Re: Collective Bargaining

We just spent three days together reviewing the issues, concerns and contract language changes that the membership have identified as areas for us to address at the collective bargaining table. As a result of this work, we began the process of proposal development.

We will be meeting again at union headquarters on February 3rd to finalize our proposal package, and we have dates set with the employer during the week of February 6th.

In our own committee discussions, we talked about the high levels of frustration we already feel about the misinterpretations of existing language in our collective agreement. We have decided that we will be producing and distributing a series of bulletins to the membership to explain language that presently exists in the collective agreement.

As we enter the bargaining process, both your employer and your union are obligated by the Labour Relations Code, British Columbia, to negotiate in good faith. This means that we are not able to answer questions about or disclose specific information to the membership on any of the discussions that occur during the bargaining process. This applies to the employer’s bargaining committee as well. However, we will be sending out communications in this format to update the membership on how the collective bargaining is progressing.

In solidarity

Patricia Earle, Bargaining Committee Member  
Chantelle Kilmartin, Bargaining Committee Member
Jason Merk, Bargaining Committee Member
Craig Procter, Bargaining Committee Member
Doug Riley, Bargaining Committee Member
Michael Roberts, Bargaining Committee Member
Heather Turner, Staff Representative
Mike Orders, Staff Representative

cc: David MacDonald, Component 17 Chairperson
     Anthony Davies, Staff Representative
     Nancy Gillis, Component 17 Staff Representative

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