Gaming workers call for extension of casino shutdown

The city’s casino workers were yesterday urging the local government to suspend its decision to reopen casinos and instead asking it to extend the shutdown.
Yesterday, five representatives of the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association delivered a letter to the Chief Executive at the government headquarters, expressing their opposition to the reopening of casinos today.
The letter expressed how workers were “baffled” by the local government’s move to approve the reopening of the casinos in this crucial moment in the battle against the Covid-19 epidemic.
Casino workers worry that once the casinos reopen there will be a greater chance of crowds assembling, which, in turn, will increase the risk of viral transmission.
Furthermore, in married couples where both the wife and husband are casino workers, if both return to work their children will be left at home alone because schools remain closed. However, association president Cloee Chao indicated that not all casino employees would be called to return to work and that some would remain off-duty.
The association also raised their concerns regarding employees who will not be resuming work.
According to Chao, two of the city’s six gaming operators have already granted paid leave to workers who will not be resuming work. On the other hand, the remaining four gaming operators have requested that their casino workers take unpaid leave or advance annual leave. Workers from one of the gaming operators claimed that their employer even requested they take annual leave from the 2021 calendar year in addition to this year.
Chao believes that the measures carried out by these four gaming operators will affect workers’ income.
“We believe that the gaming operators are absolutely capable to bear more responsibilities for Macau,” said Chao, referencing the profits made by their employers each year, and highlighting concerns about image and social responsibility for the casinos, ahead of upcoming license negotiations.
As of yesterday noon, the association had not yet complained to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) regarding the situation. However, the group urged the DSAL to investigate these complaints on the sidelines of their letter submission yesterday.
For Chao, approving the partial opening of casinos may, in fact, encourage operators to continue with the aforementioned measures, because while some employees will work, those who stay at home can be asked to take annual leave or unpaid leave.
“This time, the SAR government’s decision to reopen the casinos is rather irresponsible,” said Chao. “It’s a shame, the fact that the SAR government eventually made a decision which makes casino workers feel anxious and frightened.”
The workers also hope that they will be allowed to wear gloves while on-duty, and that casinos will not provide food or drinks to customers at gaming tables, because masks will need to be temporarily removed to consume them.