Socially conscious gaming operators

In a meeting yesterday with the Chief Executive (CE), the Macau Civil Servant’s Association (ATFPM) proposed a series of measures to improve workers’ conditions in the MSAR, some specific to public administration workers and others reaching all residents of the territory. In regards to the gaming industry, the ATFPM suggested gaming operators should fulfill their “social responsibility” by providing housing to casino workers, a press release from the Association stated. Other suggestions involved public consultations on the renewal of the gaming concessions and sub-concessions; increasing the transparency of the process; better laws to prevent VIP and junket debts; the improvement of gaming workers’ benefits; and more opportunities for management-level promotions for resident workers. The ATFPM also suggested gaming operators should provide subsidies for late night work shifts, guarantee compensation for extra hours worked, and offer vocational training to help laid-off workers find new careers, the press release detailed. Following inflation The ATFPM proposals included an increase of 4 per cent in public administration employees’ wages to start in 2017, and an increase in the government cash handout compensation from MOP9,000 to MOP12,000 in order to keep up with current inflation rates. “The inflation rate in 2015 was 4.65 per cent, and even with the gaming revenue decrease we believe the current inflation will remain between 3.5 per cent and 4 per cent. In order to raise the morale of public administration employees and recover their purchasing power, the cash handout should be increased,” the ATFPM release stated. In statements to Business Daily, Jose Pereira Coutinho, President and Director of the ATFPM and a directly-elected legislator, stated that the group also proposed to the CE construction of public housing for public security forces employees and civilians. “Since the foundation of the MSAR, not one house has been built specifically for workers. This needs to change since workers applying to the public administration are creating more pressure on the public housing awarded by the Housing Bureau,” Jose Pereira Coutinho told Business Daily. The association proposed the building of 80,000 public housing units and a quick conclusion to the construction of the New Areas, in order to provide budget housing for middle and low income residents. “It was one of our best meetings, and the CE seemed very receptive. We hope they will take heed of our proposals,” Coutinho added.