FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 23, 2019
Casino Regina employees prepared to take strike action if necessary
REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN – Members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) at the Casino Regina will be in a legal strike position as of midnight, July 26, 2019. Despite the best efforts of the union to negotiate a fair contract, the Saskatchewan Gaming Corporation (SGC) has refused to come to the table with a reasonable offer that addresses the concerns of the workers.
The Union has received an overwhelming strike mandate from the membership. Outstanding issues include: Changes to policies which unfairly penalize workers who face an unexpected work absence, shift premium improvements for weekend work and for overnight shifts and a fair wage increase.
“Workers at the Casino Regina deserve to be treated with respect,” said Marianne Hladun, Regional Executive Vice-President for the PSAC Prairie Region. “SGC has tabled an offer which does not even keep up with inflation, which would in effect mean a pay cut for these workers who are already among the lowest paid employees in the Crown sector. That’s not acceptable.”
PSAC applied for conciliation in May, after limited progress at the bargaining table. The parties then met in July with the assistance of a conciliator, but the employer (SGC) was unwilling to negotiate changes that would address priority concerns of their employees. A 14-day cooling-off period was set, which ends July 26, 2019 at midnight.
“Our preference is to negotiate an agreement at the bargaining table without strike action,” said Hladun. “But our members are prepared to do what is necessary to secure a fair contract that respects the work they do and the valuable contribution profits from the Casino make to the Province as a whole.”
The Union has been in negotiations with the SGC since September of 2017 and its members have been without a contract since December 31, 2016.
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For more information, please contact:
Thomas Linner
Regional Political Communications Officer
Cell: 204-898-7002