Gaming staff groups press for promised promotion of senior dealers

Representatives of three gaming trade unions met yesterday

Three gaming employee unions yesterday joined forces to present a dilemma to the Labour Affairs Bureau officials that has long been facing some of their members working at the Melco Crown Entertainment Limited. This news comes despite attempts from the company to silence its employees.
The groups were intent on convincing authorities to intervene in order to help press the gaming operator to “deliver on its promise.” Consequently, they also hope for the promotion of over 1,000 senior croupiers to a higher supervisory position, particularly as they have been carrying out equivalent duties of that role.
According to Ronald Lou, who is in charge of Melco New Power, the company had pledged to secure those dealers a higher-level role within two years from the point at which they started working for the company. However, that promise is yet to be fulfilled, despite some of the staff members being five years into their tenures. “We aren’t greedy, we simply strive for our deserved welfare,” said Lo.
A senior dealer generally receives slightly under MOP20,000, while a supervisor might enjoy a salary of up to MOP23,000, said the union’s head. Many seasoned croupiers who were ordered by their employer to perform duties equivalent to those assigned to supervisors on an internship basis during the course of a month grumbled about the company’s move, which they claimed to have treated them as “low-priced laborers.”
Those petitioners have braced themselves for a possible retaliation from the company. No discussion over their demands was allowed at their workplace as their managers would always disperse crowds formed by such dealers, said Chao Sao Fong, head of New Staff Union of Macau Gaming.
“The superiors would directly talk to their employees: ‘If you go on camera or accept media interviews to leak such news, the company might impose a penalty on you,’” said Chao. Yet it is believed that, so far, no punishment has been implemented.
One of those croupiers present at the conference, who identified herself as Ms Wong, said she deserved the promotion as she had been given “multiple commendations from her clients and superiors” and demanded a “transparent promotion mechanism” within the company. “I hope the company, no matter how the economy is doing, can give us a reply,” she said. Asked if she feared that her outspokenness would place her in trouble afterwards, she replied: “What we’re doing is appealing, not protesting, not subverting the company nor society.”
Aside from the fulfillment of the promised promotions, the employees also urged the company to revise its policy to allow a generous salary calculation to the provident fund, which at the moment excludes their fixed amount of gratuity.
The employees stressed that other gaming companies in the territory long ago eschewed the practice, as it was less favorable to their staff. Staff reporters