Gov’t says closing VIP rooms will not affect workers
Staff members from casinos’ VIP rooms that have been recently closed should not be affected, according to a joint press statement from the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) and the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) on Wednesday.
The government released the statement in response to numerous inquiries from the media on the topic. The DSAL and DICJ together assert that “under the provisions and regulations of the law into force, the rights of workers in the [gaming] concessionaires’ VIP rooms cannot be affected by the suspension of these rooms, as they are hired by the concessionaires [and not by the VIP rooms].” The statement adds: “As for the workers hired by gaming promoters (junkets), it is their [junkets] responsibility to safeguard the workers’ labor rights.”
The DSAL also notes that no request for assistance from any staff members from casino VIP rooms have been received so far.
“So far, DSAL has not received any request for assistance from employees of those entities. DSAL will continue to pay attention to the employment situation of local residents,” DSAL stated. “If a worker in the gaming sector understands that his interests have been harmed, he can present the matter to the DSAL, which will monitor the case following the law, safeguarding the workers’ legitimate labor rights.”
Both bureaus are said to be “very attentive to the situation” involving “changes in the cooperation relations between the gaming concessionaires and the gaming promoters.” They each took the opportunity to “warn these entities” that, under the current law, the rights of the workers must be respected.
Tak Chun Group to close “some” venues
The statement’s release coincided with more information about the closure of other junkets surfacing.
The Times has had access to an internal notice from the Tak Chun Group junket. In it, the group stated it would be closing “some of its venues” with the consequent dismissal of workers.
In the notice reviewed by the Times, it is said that the termination of these workers would be effective on the last day of the operation of the venue, although what date this will be is not stated.
The company also states that these workers will be compensated “in better terms than the ones stipulated by the labor law”. This would include the payment of: one month of extra salary, service compensation according to the number of years of work, providence fund money, and the monetary equivalent of any leave not taken.
Suncity employees complain to labor bureau
At least 40 employees from the suspended Suncity junket filed a complaint with the Labor Affairs Bureau (DSAL) regarding their unclear future, but have as yet received no reply, local media reports.
The report states that these employees worked at Suncity’s VIP gambling rooms at the StarWorld, the Galaxy Macau, the MGM, the City of Dreams, and Studio City Macau.
Local Chinese media All About Macau has reportedly spoken with an employee of the junket operator, who is said to have worked at the company for more than a decade. The employee is among those who filed the complaint with the DSAL on December 7 morning.
The employee stressed that they have informed the DSAL quite clearly that no salary for the month of November has been received, with no notice whatsoever from the employer.
Although the DSAL has pledged to give these complainants a reply within 10 working days, the employee said that if the authority does not reply soon, another complaint will be filed.
A statement jointly issued on December 8 evening by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) and the DSAL denied that any help-seeking action has been recorded by the latter bureau.
The statement left the employee dissatisfied. The employee questioned why the authorities said nobody has sought help when, in fact, they have. AL
