Gaming | Lionel Leong meets gaming operators to discuss policies

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, met yesterday with representatives of Macau’s six gaming operators to discuss the industry’s policies. They focused mainly on gaming companies’ commitment to recruiting and promoting the career advancement of local citizens, his cabinet revealed in a statement.
The secretary pledged to improve communication with unions to make sure that workers’ rights and interests have been adequately enforced. He also recalled during the meeting that gaming operators’ commitment to hiring Macau residents and providing them with career progress opportunities will be taken into consideration when the government assesses current gaming operators’ concession contracts, which will expire between 2020 and 2022.
The authorities will be looking into the percentage of locals who are hired by casino companies; into whether locals are being afforded career advancement opportunities; and also into gaming operators’ recent efforts to develop their non-gaming offerings.
Mr Leong told lawmakers last month, when presenting his cabinet’s action plan for this year, that the gaming industry is in need of “a check-up” in order to allow for the assessment of casino operators’ performance over the past ten years.
The interim review of gaming concessionaires’ contracts will start this year, he also announced.
The secretary hinted yesterday that the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) will be “more proactive” in seeking information on labor relations between the gaming companies and their employees.
The six gaming operators told the Secretary that employees have shown greater interest in furthering their knowledge, as they have recorded an increase in the number of workers enrolling in training programs. Operators added that they’ve also recorded a 25- to 40-percent decrease (year-on-year) in the number of written warnings issued to employees.
With the next wave of Cotai resorts underway, casino operators pledged to provide further job opportunities to Macau residents. CP