Tasmanian casino workers strike

Kamala Emanuel, Hobart

Hundreds of Tasmanian casino workers struck for 24 hours on July 3. A mass rally and march at Hobart's Wrest Point Casino attracted 150 workers and their supporters.

This was the first state-wide strike ever held against Federal Hotels, the owner of Tasmania's two casinos. The strike was called by the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union after management refused to increase its pay-rise offer above 4%.

While management and the local media alleged the strike was over a mere 1%, workers told Green Left Weekly that the union began negotiations with a claim of 8%, but subsequently put a compromise offer of 5%. Federal Hotels started with an offer of 3.5% and only increased it to their "final offer" of 4%.

The stingy offer follows years of wage restraint by the workers. In their 2001 enterprise bargaining agreement, workers took a wage cut in response to management's claim to be "haemorrhaging" money. In the three years since then, Federal Hotels has increased its gaming revenue by 50% and has expanded its operations in the state with the acquisition of 16 new properties.

From Green Left Weekly, July 7, 2004.

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From GLW issue 588