Hundreds of Star Casino Brisbane workers went on strike on July 9 on one of the biggest nights of the year. The strike coincided with the third and final State of Origin game.
As the game played at the sports bar and televisions across the casino floor, the workers at the casino protested the company’s cuts to penalty rates.
Workers at the casino have stated they are struggling to pay the bills since they get paid barely more than minimum wage.
The United Workers Union (UWU) organised the strike in an attempt to raise workers wages to match other casinos in the country. Workers at Star in Sydney get paid $2 an hour more for the same job.
They also want to retain Sunday penalty rates which the casino is trying to replace with a small bonus on Fridays and Saturdays.
As the strike kicked off at 6pm there was a strong showing from the workers as union delegates chanted under the Queens Wharf Road bridge. The march then kicked off as the workers shared stories about their working conditions and continued the chanting in front of the main George Street entrance.
Once the march returned to the Queens Wharf bridge a picket line formed, blocking the workers entrance in hopes of attracting more workers to join the fight. After the chanting died down the wait for the bosses to make a statement began, nothing of the sort came.
Unionists and their supporters watched a projection of the State of Origin game under the Queens Wharf Bridge.
The 2025 Brisbane Champs Poker tournament scheduled to start July 11 has been cancelled due to the strike. The tournament was scheduled to start the same day with 18 events across 12 days. However the planned 24 hour strike has left the casino without enough workers.
morekainekennedy9-7-25byeliasboyle.png
UWU delegate Kaine Kennedy, who is also a member of Queensland Socialists, told Green Left that “I don’t think we will go ahead with the strike this Friday, we will have to discuss and decide just given the poker tournament got cancelled.”
“But I do think there is going to be huge action.”
The Star Casino is looking to sell off it's new building in Magan-djin/Brisbane after financial and legal troubles in recent years.
The Star Entertainment Group share price was over $5 in 2018, however, this has crashed to under 15c today. COVID lockdowns, flooding and an outbreak of mould in the Brisbane building contributed to this. However, the company also was found to be facilitating money laundering in Sydney and their casino licenses in Queensland and NSW were suspended in 2024.
Joint Brisbane owners of the Brisbane building, Chow Tai Fook Enterprise and Far East Consortium, were going to take full ownership of the property while the Star kept the right to operate the casino. However, this deal fell through on July 7.
Responding to a question about whether strike action could put workers’ jobs at risk, Kennedy told Green Left that it wasn't likely. “They talk a lot of crap to be honest,” he said.
“They said the last three deals in a row was the best that they could possibly do. When push comes to shove they are able to find money, like they find money for bonuses for the top executives.”
“Just this week, the deal with Chow Tai Fook, who was going to be buying the Star right (here) in the Brisbane precinct fell through. They had to pay back $10 million dollars, on three days notice and they were able to find that $10 million so when it is an actual requirement, push comes to shove, they need to find the money, there is money to be found.”
“So I think they can find the money to pay us.”
uwumembers9-7-25byeliasboyle.png
More photos are on the Green Left Facebook page here and here.