The prominent issue is wages. The majority of employees in the casino are classified as slot attendants. The wages in the collective agreement are $16.34 per hour. Fortunately, minimum wages have risen to the point of $17.40 per hour as of June 1, 2024 and so employees receive 30 cents more than minimum wage.

The living wage in Abbotsford is well over $20 per hour. With the cost of living reaching almost unprecedented levels the past few years, and prices continuing to remain high even as the inflation rate decreases, the Employer just doesn’t understand, or care, that casino employees are struggling to survive.

With approximately $16 million in annual revenue, we can't understand why Gateway Casinos will not offer their loyal employees a decent wage. The Employer tries to utilize the argument that employees are subsidized by tips and that somehow makes up for the shortfall in wages.

A collective agreement is an employment contract between the Employer and employees. The agreement provides the Employer’s obligation to render wages for duties and responsibilities carried out by the employees. It is not the responsibility of patrons to guarantee that employees receive a living wage, nor is it the provincial government’s responsibility via minimum wage increases. It is the Employer’s responsibility to pay decent wages to their employees and no one else's.

The employer seems to have little control over deplorable working conditions including constantly changing/adding duties, a mice infestation that employees have endured for almost two years and unacceptable harassment. At the very least the employer should take responsibility for paying these workers a living wage.

Please support us employees on strike to gain a decent income so that we can provide for our families and perhaps have a bit leftover to enjoy life as every Canadian is surely entitled to.

Please do not support this casino until the Employer comes back to the bargaining table with a fair wage offer.

Thank you for your support.