VICTORIA – B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) members at Elements Casino Victoria voted by 89 per cent to ratify a four-year collective agreement after six months of negotiations with Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
 
"Bargaining a first agreement is a big deal for new members of our union. I'm very proud of what these members achieved at the table," says BCGEU president Stephanie Smith. "This agreement brings great improvements to their working conditions and the wage grid and makes impressive strides in job security, pensions and benefits."
 
The over 100 members at Elements will receive annual wage increases, a pension plan, job security, scheduling provisions based on seniority, health and safety improvements, extended health benefits and protection from contracting out.

"A collective agreement is basically a rule book that unionized workers and their employers agree to follow," says Smith. "It's also a clear demonstration of the collective power that workers harness when they choose to join a union. With this contract, the BCGEU's members at Elements Casino have established a voice in their workplace and created a transparent, effective way to resolve conflicts as they arise." 

Elements Casino Victoria, owned by Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, is the largest casino on Vancouver Island. Workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining BCGEU in May 2019.

The new collective agreement includes cashiers, count team, count team supervisors, cage supervisors, guest services, guest services supervisors, slot attendants, slot supervisors, dealers and dealer supervisors. 

The BCGEU is one of the largest and most diverse unions in British Columbia with more than 80,000 members across all sectors of the economy, including over 4,000 workers in casinos.

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