Great Canadian Gaming Announces Results of Union Certification Votes at River Rock Casino Resort
RICHMOND, BC, Dec. 23, 2015 /CNW/ - Great Canadian Gaming Corporation [TSX:GC] ("the Company") announced today that it has received the results of the October 2015 and December 21, 2015 union certification votes for its employees at its River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, British Columbia ("River Rock"). The certification covers table games dealers, slot attendants, count team members, cashiers, guest service representatives, table games supervisors, boxmen, and slot supervisors. The results indicate that a sufficient number of valid votes from employees were in favour of union certification. As a result, the Company anticipates that this bargaining unit will likely be certified by the BC Labour Relations Board. The number of hourly employees at River Rock that are potentially represented by this unit is approximately 54% of the total 1247 hourly employees at the property.
As at November 30, 2015, the Company had approximately 600 unionized employees across its entire property portfolio out of a total of 4,863 employees. The Company will commence negotiations with the River Rock collective bargaining unit once it is certified. It is uncertain what the financial outcome of such negotiations will be, however, at this time the Company expects that the annual effect will not be material relative to its consolidated annual financial results.
"Great Canadian believes in continually engaging with our colleagues in order to proactively address their changing needs and concerns," said Rod N. Baker, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. "As a result we are disappointed by this union certification vote and consequently have redoubled our efforts at each of our other properties to proactively listen to our colleagues. We continue to believe that their interests are best communicated and understood through a direct relationship with management."
ABOUT GREAT CANADIAN GAMING CORPORATION
Great Canadian Gaming Corporation operates gaming, entertainment and hospitality facilities in British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Washington State. The Company's 17 gaming properties consist of three community gaming centres, four racetracks (two with casinos operated by the Company), and ten casinos, including two with Four Diamond resort hotels. A key element of Great Canadian's business model is its commitment to social responsibility. PROUD of our people, our business, our community is Great Canadian's brand that unifies the Company's community, volunteering and social responsibility efforts. Under the PROUD program, Great Canadian annually invests over $2 million in our communities, and in 2014, over 1,200 charitable organizations were supported by Great Canadian. In each Canadian gaming jurisdiction, a significant portion of gross gaming revenues from gaming facilities goes back directly to provincial governments for the purpose of supporting programs like healthcare, education and social services. Further information is available on the Company's website, www.gcgaming.com.
ON BEHALF OF
GREAT CANADIAN GAMING CORPORATION
"Original Signed By Rod N. Baker"
_____________________
Rod N. Baker
President and Chief Executive Officer
GREAT CANADIAN GAMING CORPORATION [TSX:GC]
95 Schooner Street
Coquitlam, British Columbia, V3K 7A8
(604) 303-1000
Website: www.gcgaming.com
DISCLAIMER
This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" or statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions that were made by the Company in light of its historical trends and other factors. All information or statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information including statements that address expectations, estimates or projections about the future, the Company's strategy for growth and objectives, expected future expenditures, costs, operating and financial results, expected impact of future commitments, and the effect of potential future collective bargaining union negotiations on the Company's financial results. . Forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", or similar expressions. Such forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and may involve a number of risks and uncertainties.
Although forward-looking information is based on information and assumptions that the Company believes are current, reasonable and complete, they are subject to unknown risks, uncertainties, and a number of factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors may include, but are not limited to: the results of collective bargaining union negotiations; terms of operational services agreements with lottery corporations; changes to gaming laws that may impact the operational services agreements, pending, proposed or unanticipated regulatory or policy changes; the outcome of restructuring of gaming in Ontario; the Company's ability to obtain and renew required business licenses, leases, and operational services agreements; the future of horse racing in Ontario; unanticipated fines, sanctions and suspensions imposed on the Company by its regulators; impact of global liquidity and credit availability; actual and possible reassessments of the Company's prior tax filings by tax authorities; the results of the Company's notices of objection challenging reassessments received by the Canada Revenue Agency; the Company's tax position on its facility development commission prevailing; adverse tourism trends and further decreases in levels of travel, leisure and consumer spending; competition from established competitors and new entrants in the gaming business; dependence on key personnel; the timing and results of collective bargaining negotiations; adverse changes in the Company's labour relations; the Company's ability to manage its capital projects and its expanding operations; the risk that systems, procedures and controls may not be adequate to meet regulatory requirements or to support current and expanding operations; potential undisclosed liabilities and capital expenditures associated with acquisitions; negative connotations linked to the gaming industry; First Nations rights with respect to some land on which we conduct our operations; future or current legal proceedings; construction disruptions; financial covenants associated with credit facilities and long-term debt; credit, liquidity and market risks associated with our financial instruments; interest and exchange rate fluctuations; non-realization of cost reductions and synergies; demand for new products and services; fluctuations in operating results; economic uncertainty and financial market volatility; technology dependence; and privacy breaches or data theft. The Company cautions that this list of factors is not exhaustive. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. These factors and other risks and uncertainties are discussed in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities from time to time, including in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's Annual Information Form for fiscal 2014, and as identified in the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions, or expectations upon which they are based will occur. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date hereof, is subject to change after such date, and is expressly qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements in this press release. Forward-looking information is provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise forward-looking information to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except as required by law.
SOURCE Great Canadian Gaming Corporation
For investor enquiries: Email: [email protected] or Ms. Tanya Ruskowski, Executive Assistant to the President & CEO and the CFO, (604) 303-1000; For media enquiries: Mr. Chuck Keeling, Vice-President, Stakeholder Relations and Responsible Gaming, (604) 303-1018
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