Tourism Award An Insult To Sky City Workers

21 August

Workers have concluded, given Sky City’s success at the New Zealand Tourism Award yesterday, that the whole event was a farce.

“Union members at Sky City were shocked and dismayed to learn that the Casino had received the ‘Supreme Award’ at last night’s New Zealand Tourism Awards”, said Ms Darien Fenton, National Secretary of the Union that represents Casino workers, the Service & Food Workers Union.

“They want to know how a major company can have big problems with its staff and still win an award.”

Sky City workers walked off the job yesterday and protested noisily outside the casino over Sky City’s stingy pay offer on the day when Sky City announced a $68million profit, a 13% increase in their profits.

“They have offered their workers a miserly 2.5% which doesn’t even equate to the CPI”, said Ms Fenton.

The workers have been running a petition against Sky City winning this award for the last three weeks. Thousands of signatures were obtained and hundreds of electronic submissions were sent to TIANZ who ran the awards.

“Obviously corporate influence rates more highly to Tourism New Zealand than the voice of the workers and their supporters”, said Ms Fenton.

Union members at Sky City represent a united nations of workers. Along with their Kiwi co-workers, Korean, Tiwanise, Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, South African Zulu, French, Italian, German and workers from all the Pacific Island nations spoke at the protest yesterday and their overwhelming message was a request for fair treatment from Sky City.

Giving Sky City the ‘Supreme Award’ last night was a slap in the face to these workers. Perhaps those responsible should come down to Sky City and explain themselves.

Ends

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