FAOM lawmakers review AL work, economic crisis accounts for soaring labor disputes

The economic crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in border restrictions and a significant decline in most economic activities in Macau, accounts for the soaring number of labor disputes in the SAR. As mentioned in a review of the Legislative Assembly’s (AL) work over the past term by lawmakers linked with the Macao Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM), these disputes have frequently resulted in calls for their assistance.
The four lawmakers, who include directly elected Leong Sun Iok and Ella Lei, and the indirectly elected Lei Chan U and Lam Lon Wai, noted that since the pandemic began, their offices have been flooded with appeals relating to unemployment, unpaid leave, and lay-offs: troubles which have affected many resident workers.
“We have received cases from different [economic] sectors, mostly relating to situations of layoffs, wage arrears, or company or shop closures. With the pandemic, these work-related situations became much more frequent,” said Lei in a press conference organized by the lawmakers on Monday.
Leong also noted the exponential growth of the unemployment rate over the same period, noting that it has reached its highest level in the last 10 years and that, with more people losing their jobs every week, the situation is not yet under control.
“We have received many complaints from workers, particularly from the sub-sectors of services, food and beverage industry, and VIP rooms of the casinos, who have reported situations of company closures as well as many cases of forced unpaid leave,” Leong told the media.
Running as a candidate for another term at the AL, Leong added that the new tender for gaming licenses would be a perfect opportunity to include additional guarantees and rights for workers, extend labor rights to a significant portion of the labor market, and thereby set an example for other companies in the private sector to follow.
Leong also thinks that gaming operators should participate further in the government’s social and welfare schemes in order to assume a greater share of their corporate social responsibility.
FAOM lawmakers also mentioned the public works sector, emphasizing that residents’ access to work must be protected. They said that the government should set an example by enforcing regulations to protect the priority of residents in hiring.
Addressing the plans implemented by the government to try to control unemployment and promote career changes for local workers so far, the lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction with the work of the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the programs it enforced, characterizing DSAL’s efforts as ineffective.