Casino workers to host a demonstration on Labor Day

Representatives of Love Macau, the Macau Gaining Industry Frontline Workers’ Union and the Association of Rights of Gaming Industry Employees
(新澳門博彩員工權益會) announced yesterday at the office of lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San, that the three entities will make a demonstration on May 1.
According to Lei Man Chao, vice president of Love Macau, the aim of the demonstration is to represent the demands of local employees, especially those working for casinos. “A large number of facts are telling us that workers are facing, or will face, unfair employment treatment,” said Lei, adding that “we appeal to gaming companies to increase salaries, to largely reduce the number of expat workers, as well as to prohibit smoking everywhere in the casinos.” The representative further explained that casinos allow smoking in VIP rooms, which share the same ventilation system as the rest of the rooms in the casino.
Around 500 members from the three organizations will participate. This group will assemble at the Iao Hon Park at four in the afternoon, and will depart to the government headquarters at 4.30 p.m. A gathering might take place after the demonstration, according to Cloee Chao, from the Association of Rights of Gaming Industry Employees. She said that not all members will join the demonstration due to work shifts. Three letters will be delivered to the Chief Executive.
Chao, who is also a casino dealer, noted that expat workers haven’t been hired as dealers so far as a consequence of a promise made by the government, which assured the public that only locals would work in those positions.
Leong Lei Kan, an engineer representative, noted that half of his co-workers are not local residents. Moreover, “lack of experience, of degrees or qualifications” has been the reasons companies use in order to explain why their employees were not promoted, according to Leong.