Casino worker unions jointly urge for trade union law legislation

A number of gaming industry trade unions held their first joint meeting yesterday, organized by the Power of the Macao Gaming Association.  Together they demanded that the government legislate a trade union law and ensure the casino workers’ right to collective bargaining.
The Power of the Macao Gaming Association’s honorary president, lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho, stressed in the meeting that a trade union law is still absent in Macau, and also that workers currently do not possess the reasonable right to negotiate.
The lawmaker has repeatedly submitted a draft bill to the Legislative Assembly which has been vetoed five times. Some lawmakers questioned the necessity and motive of such an enactment on previous occasions, while some were in favor of the legislation but eventually decided against it because of the lack of consultation.
Representatives from six different groups including the Forefront of Macao Gaming, the New Gaming Employees Advance Association, and the staff union of Galaxy Entertainment Group joined the roundtable meeting held at Fisherman’s Wharf.
The organizer stated that “Macau’s gaming industry is now in an adjustment period; when a problem appears, many casino workers will turn to the gaming industry’s trade unions to seek help, besides complaining to the gaming corporates. We hope to facilitate more communication and solidarity among the gaming industry associations through organizing this meeting.” BY