Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver, BC, is facing a strike action. It was announced on June 10th that Cope Union 378, which represents the employees at the track, has served a 72-hour Strike Notice on the facility.
Operated at the Pacific National Exhibition, Hastings Racecourse features live Thoroughbred racing and simulcast racing. It is part of Great Canadian Casinos Inc., a BC casino and gaming operator, and the largest community-based gaming management company in Western Canada.
Glen Todd commented on the situation in his Railbird Notes, saying: “The whole racing industry has suffered from cut-backs for the last several years. This year alone our largest loss of income, which affects the whole horse racing industry, has come from Hastings Racecourse Racebook, which is currently down 17.6% over 2012. That is a large number and especially in dollars and cents.
“To make matters worse, the live handle on racing days is down 14% from 2012 as of Sunday. That live handle is our largest percentage source of income. Any further loss of income could be devastating to the whole industry which is honestly hanging on by a thread at the moment.
“Horsemen have taken cuts in many areas already this season and we are trying hard to keep this industry alive and last thing we need right now is a strike by the Hastings employees. People we need to work together to try to revive this industry and especially at Hastings where we are suffering our largest losses.”
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