Season of Discontent

Workers from the Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) protested near the Galaxy property in Cotai yesterday to voice their demands.
Carrying signs and yelling slogans, workers demanded a full-14 months salary, claiming that the bonus to be offered this month is merely an advance on the offer of a bonus set to be received in December.
According to a company notice revealed by the workers, the company is planning to give out bonuses to qualified workers in two separate tranches, with the first to be granted in September and the other before Chinese New Year next year.
The bonus amount of the former tranch is equivalent to 75 per cent of a month’s salary, while the amount of the latter tranch would be no less than 65 per cent of a month’s salary.
One of the protesters claimed that the company should offer 14 months salary given that the company is making profits, referring to the conditions offered by other gaming operators such as Wynn.
Meanwhile, the protesters demanded the cancellation of a policy requesting dealers to redistribute cards in baccarat games every minute despite there being no clients. Dealers complained that the aforementioned policy is causing neck and shoulder problems.
Protesters also demanded GEG cancel its rating system of employees in raising salaries and giving out bonuses, and called for the company to make promotion procedures more transparent.
Organised by the New Macau Gaming Professionals Association, the president of the Association, Cloee Chao, said some 300 workers involved in the protest, which started at 4:00pm, with protesters walking outside the property of Galaxy for around half an hour.
GEG later sent a representative to receive the petition from the protesters.
Chao announced that the workers would allow a week’s time for the company to respond to the petition, while the group claimed it would further protest if the company fails to make an appropriate reply.
GEG made an immediate response after the protest yesterday, stating that the company would not comment upon the incident, but ‘GEG reaffirms that the Company is always willing to listen to its employees, and is committed to following up on any reasonable suggestions and making any necessary improvements.’
Last week, some 200 GEG workers approached the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) to lodge complaints about working hour arrangements during the recent typhoon incidents.
The Gaming Inspection and Co-ordination Bureau, together with the DSAL, had held a meeting with representatives of the six gaming operators to help gaming workers express demands and understand their rights with regard to when typhoons hit the city.