Sky City evacuation inadequate

MEDIA RELEASE
21 09 05

Sky City evacuation inadequate
Union delegates say staff and customers put at risk

Service and Food Workers Union members at Sky City Auckland are horrified that the evacuation of the Sky Tower on Saturday night took so long, and that no other parts of the casino or hotel were evacuated.

"There were a lot more people in the building than were evacuated. The customers and staff in the casino and in the hotels were not notified and were at serious risk." Said SFWU Delegate Craig Muir.

Delegates say that if the plane had crashed into the tower, falling debris would have caused damage to the buildings below. Delegates are now asking Sky City management serious questions about the evacuation procedures at the casino.

"We were all at risk and our employer did nothing about it, not even to ask us all to stand outside the building for ten minutes." Mr Muir says,

"If that plane had hit the casino and we had been in the building below, there could easily have been a fire or things falling through the roof. I don't even want to think about the damage that could have been caused. And our boss did nothing to make sure that those working in the casino, along with the customers, were safe." says Mr Muir.

Delegates are going to deliver a letter to management demanding an overhaul of the evacuation procedures in consultation with the union.

ENDS

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