Five labor leaders in Macau have been charged face criminal charges in connection with a street demonstration last month by dealers and other front-line casino workers.
Ieong Man Teng, president of Forefront of Macau Gaming, Vice President Lei Kuok Keong, co-founder Cloee Chao and two others have been cited for “aggravated disobedience” for allegedly breaching a police cordon during an August march led by Forefront to draw attention to workers’ demands for pay raises and improvements in working conditions and promotions policies.
The five deny the charge and have branded it as intimidation for their union activism.
The August protest was one of several organized this year by Forefront and other unofficial labor unions targeting the city’s six casino operators individually and collectively. Last month, the unrest was capped by a work slowdown and sick-out at SJM’s flagship casino, Grand Lisboa. It was the first job action ever taken against the company founded by casino tycoon Stanley Ho.
SJM also has been targeted in three separate protests by Forefront and other labor groups, which have asked for government involvement in moving forward negotiations with the company. Ieong, Lei and the others were first questioned by police after Forefront threatened to strike the Grand Lisboa during Golden Week, which commences October 1 and is one of the busiest times of the year for Macau’s casinos.
