Friday 21 July 2006

EMBARGOED UNTIL 10AM

SKYCITY Workers Begin Strike Action Starting from Today 10am

Auckland’s love affair with SkyCity is starting to crack. Certainly the 1200 union members at SkyCity have had enough and will start rolling strikes starting from this morning at 10am.

A picket by SEA-Unite union members will be erected outside the main entrance from 10.00am today and thereafter at regular intervals.

Chris Tatton-Brown, staff spokesperson for the SEA-Unite Union, says “The final straw for union members was the ‘spin’ put out by SkyCity after a customer was abducted from the site last weekend. The company claimed that this was an isolated case and customers had nothing to worry about.”

“This is not true” says Tatton-Brown ”the security guards and surveillance operators, of which almost all belong to SEA Unite, say their safety staff levels have been cut by over 20% since SkyCity open even though it has grown. SkyCity security staff can no longer carry out the safety duties to protect customers they once did.”

“Whilst SkyCity has made over $100 million in the last 12 months cut-backs are relentless and customer care and safety has declined.”

“For example last week a customer collapsed and no oxygen mask was available and security medics believe the person could have died.”

"And we must ask if SkyCity will try to continue 'business as usual' without any experienced Security staff on duty during the strike"

The 700 member SEA-Unite union contract negotiations have broken down and the other union, the SFWU, is also predicted to breakdown next week.

“It seems amazing that Evan Davies the CEO receives a $1.5 million bonus on top of his salary when most staff earn modest incomes of about $30,000 a year. Mr Davies bonus is enough to pay all SkyCity employees a 5% increase over six months.”

SkyCity made a profit that equal to over $40,000 for every single employee.

There is certainly a winner at SkyCity but it isn’t the staff.

ENDS

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