CANADIAN LABOUR REGINA:
WORKERS AND MANAGEMENT STILL FAR APART AT CASINO REGINA:
Molly blogged about the strike at Casino Regina last June 25, and to date their has been no agreement between management of the province's cash cow the striking workers represented by the PSAC and the RWDSU. Here's an item from the Regina Leader Post about the "state" of contract negotiations and news of a rally at the Legislature to be held today. Note that no matter how "generous" management claims they are being their demand to reduce full time workers to part time is a great step backwards for the people involved.
SLSLSLSLSL
No deal yet for gaming workers
By Pamela Roth,
No deal yet for gaming workers
By Pamela Roth,
The Leader-Post July 6, 2010
Frustration is mounting for gaming employees with Casino Regina after a meeting last week with their employer, the Crown-owned Saskatchewan Gaming Corp., failed to strike a new deal.
Communication between Sask. Gaming and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents about 425 gaming employees at the casino, has been minimal since the strike began more than a month ago.
Both parties had high hopes an agreement could be reached when the corporation arranged the meeting last week, but Robin Benson, regional executive vice president of PSAC, said they now seem even further apart.
She said the corporation is willing to increase wages, but not without scaling back some positions to part-time.
"We had really hoped they were serious about us coming back to the table. We are nowhere close to an agreement," said Bensen.
"You can't take from one hand and give to the other. A wage increase, but no full-time hours, is just not possible. If you are never going to be more than a part-time worker, how is that a career?"
On June 3, more than 400 gaming employees walked off the floor and went on strike after failed attempts to reach a new contract with their employer.
Food and beverage employees also are on the picket line in support of PSAC's decision to strike, leaving the casino operating with limited services and shorter hours.
The union members, which include dealers, cashiers, security guards and slot attendants, have been without a contract since May 2009. Wage increases, family leave and night-shift premiums are the outstanding issues.
Members of PSAC, along with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, will be hosting a rally outside the Legislative Building on Thursday, and have also been in contact with local MLAs to step in.
Blaine Pilatzke, vice-president of human resources for Sask. Gaming, said he was hoping the meeting would spark further discussions, but was disappointed when nothing further materialized.
He said Sask. Gaming presented a fair offer that included 5.5 per cent in total increased compensation over a three-year period and a realignment of existing provisions within the collective agreement to address some of the union's priorities.
The offer also included improvements to health care benefits.
"We presented a couple of options to try to address some of their priorities, but those were rejected," said Pilatzke.
"It's been more than 30 days and the corporation recognizes it's difficult on the picketers, but it's also difficult on our out-of-scope staff who have been asked to perform additional functions as well. I would hope that at some point in the near future we can get back and have some further discussions."
Sask. Gaming owns and operates Casino Regina and Casino Moose Jaw, which are regulated by the provincial government.
The gaming corporation was the Regina-area winner of the 2010 Top Employers for Young People competition conducted by Mediacorp Canada (the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers).
Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/business/deal+gaming+workers/3240123/story.html#ixzz0t4EUtcu3
Communication between Sask. Gaming and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), which represents about 425 gaming employees at the casino, has been minimal since the strike began more than a month ago.
Both parties had high hopes an agreement could be reached when the corporation arranged the meeting last week, but Robin Benson, regional executive vice president of PSAC, said they now seem even further apart.
She said the corporation is willing to increase wages, but not without scaling back some positions to part-time.
"We had really hoped they were serious about us coming back to the table. We are nowhere close to an agreement," said Bensen.
"You can't take from one hand and give to the other. A wage increase, but no full-time hours, is just not possible. If you are never going to be more than a part-time worker, how is that a career?"
On June 3, more than 400 gaming employees walked off the floor and went on strike after failed attempts to reach a new contract with their employer.
Food and beverage employees also are on the picket line in support of PSAC's decision to strike, leaving the casino operating with limited services and shorter hours.
The union members, which include dealers, cashiers, security guards and slot attendants, have been without a contract since May 2009. Wage increases, family leave and night-shift premiums are the outstanding issues.
Members of PSAC, along with the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, will be hosting a rally outside the Legislative Building on Thursday, and have also been in contact with local MLAs to step in.
Blaine Pilatzke, vice-president of human resources for Sask. Gaming, said he was hoping the meeting would spark further discussions, but was disappointed when nothing further materialized.
He said Sask. Gaming presented a fair offer that included 5.5 per cent in total increased compensation over a three-year period and a realignment of existing provisions within the collective agreement to address some of the union's priorities.
The offer also included improvements to health care benefits.
"We presented a couple of options to try to address some of their priorities, but those were rejected," said Pilatzke.
"It's been more than 30 days and the corporation recognizes it's difficult on the picketers, but it's also difficult on our out-of-scope staff who have been asked to perform additional functions as well. I would hope that at some point in the near future we can get back and have some further discussions."
Sask. Gaming owns and operates Casino Regina and Casino Moose Jaw, which are regulated by the provincial government.
The gaming corporation was the Regina-area winner of the 2010 Top Employers for Young People competition conducted by Mediacorp Canada (the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers).
Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/business/deal+gaming+workers/3240123/story.html#ixzz0t4EUtcu3
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