Crown Casino Workers Threaten Melbourne Cup Weekend Strike
Prior to the Melbourne Cup, staff at Crown Casino are considering industrial action.
The proposed walkout is scheduled to commence on Saturday, aligning with Derby Day, and persist until Monday, the day preceding the Melbourne Cup. Personnel are requesting a series of enhancements, encompassing equitable wage increases mirroring inflation, improved weekend and holiday compensation, more balanced scheduling to enhance work-life harmony, and salary advancement based on tenure.
Numerous long-serving personnel, including an individual named Deb Lipscombe, state that escalating living expenses make a salary increase and enhanced conditions crucial. They’ve expressed concerns about their financial stability, highlighting the growing costs of food, transportation, and vehicle storage.
As per the labor organization representing the workforce, United Workers Union, the ballot authorized all members to engage in the strike, potentially affecting 3,600 staff members. Initially, Crown contested this figure, asserting that only 1,700 employees qualified. Following further explanation, Crown adjusted the number of eligible employees to roughly 3,100.
The industrial action is anticipated to involve rotating four-hour work stoppages, occurring between 6 pm and 10 pm on Saturday, 10 am and 2 pm on Sunday, and 6 pm and 10 pm on Monday.
Although discussions have been progressing, a point of disagreement persists regarding the number of workers allowed to take part in the strike.
