The roof opened on B.C. Place Stadium last Friday, but the doors could close if unionized workers exercise their strike mandate.
B.C. Government and Service Employees Union local 1703 has 90 days in which to issue 72-hour strike notice after members voted 89 percent in favour of a strike.
Turnout was not released after last weeks four-day vote. Around 600 ushers, first aid, maintenance and skilled trades workers were eligible to cast ballots.
We have made no decisions on where to go next, said BCGEU spokeswoman Karen Tankard. What were hoping is to get called back to the bargaining table as quickly as possible.
Local 1703 represents 23 full-time and 16 part-time workers, Tankard said. The rest are on-call event staff. The contract expired May 31 and mediated talks broke down last month.
We want to use this strong strike mandate as leverage, Tankard said. We hope they know now our members are serious about getting a fair collective agreement.
Workers are subject to a government-mandated pay freeze. Job security is the top issue as workers are against contracting out and downgrading positions from full-time to part-time.
BCGEU also represents food and beverage workers employed by B.C. Pavilion Corporation contractor Centerplate. Numerous B.C. Lions fans complained of long lineups and short supplies of hot dogs and beer at the Sept. 30 reopening. The customer service problems were a symptom of the stadiums hurry to meet the opening deadline after encountering various construction challenges.
Centerplate only got access to the building two days before opening, Tankard said. We understand that doesnt give them a lot of time to bring people in, to train them, to give people the chance to learn the ropes. The fact there was chaos on Friday night is probably understandable.
In a Sept. 27 memo, general manager Howard Crosley encouraged workers to vote no because a strike could disrupt Lions and Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Whitecaps games and put the Nov. 27 Grey Cup in jeopardy.
The B.C. government paid the Canadian Football League $1.88 million to host the Grey Cup in 2011.
PavCo CEO Warren Buckley did not respond immediately for comment on Monday.
