Lawmaker urges gaming ops to protect employees’ rights

Manpower shortages, frequent job changes, and the promotion of electronic gaming tables have resulted in heightened stress and physical and mental fatigue for gaming employees, according to lawmaker Leong Sun Iok in a written enquiry to the government.

He urged the government to promote the social responsibility of gaming companies in protecting employees and called on these companies to be more considerate of their workforce.

This included adapting to electronic trends, providing on-the-job training, hiring more staff, and improving salaries and other work benefits to boost morale and safeguard employees’ well-being.

The lawmaker said the benefits of Macau’s economic development are closely linked to the dedication of gaming employees.

However, he claimed increased customer flow has led to employees being frequently harassed by money changers and sub-agents.

Meanwhile, Leong has urged authorities to strengthen oversight of foreign employee recruitment and renewal processes, citing the recent case exposed by the anti-graft commission, where a manager of leisure companies solicited bribes from mainland residents seeking employment in Macau.

Leong said there should be creation of more good jobs and promising positions for local residents to optimize the employment environment and increase the proportion of local mid- to high-level employees.

Although the economy is gradually recovering, shifts in consumption patterns among residents and tourists have led to uneven economic development, causing operational challenges for many businesses, according to the lawmaker. He said despite the government’s introduction of the “Weekend North District Consumption” earlier this year to stimulate the North District’s economy, foot traffic in many local areas remains below expectations.

He recommended the government consider extending the scheme to other communities and leverage the influence of gaming companies to invigorate the community economy, particularly aiding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

By doing so, the social responsibilities and economic contributions of gaming companies can be significantly enhanced, he said.

The lawmaker said gaming companies currently offer membership cards to customers, allowing them to redeem points for meal vouchers and various gifts at affiliated merchants.

To further stimulate the community economy, he proposed the government negotiate with gaming companies to extend the use of member points benefits and coupons to a broader range of community merchants, including restaurants, retail shops, entertainment venues and service providers. Staff Reporter