Galaxy Entertainment is fighting claims from disgruntled staff members who say they are being forced into early retirement against their wishes.
The news comes after the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association received reports of several staff members stating that they believed their employer, Galaxy, had devised a scheme whereby they were encouraged to sign official papers of their own free will. These papers then unknowingly led to termination of their employment with the company.
Misguidance of Contracts
Though a considerable number of these staff members have minimal English skills, these legal papers were all written in English, which led to many of them being unable to fully understand what it was they were initially signing.
Galaxy states that they wholeheartedly encourage all those employees who work for them to stay on with the company past the age of sixty. Yet, at the beginning of 2018, they abolished their original voluntary compensation program. This was a scheme aimed solely at those employees who chose to retire at the age of sixty but ensured they would continue to receive supplementary benefits.
President Chao of the New Macau Gaming Staff Rights Association suggested that those Galaxy staff members affected by these new implementations were then dismayed when asked to sign what they were told were voluntary documents, in light of the termination of the former program.
Galaxy Looking to Take on The Japan Market
It’s no secret that Galaxy Entertainment has been looking to get into the Japanese gaming industry, an industry that Japan so liberally promotes. In fact, Galaxy is amongst several of the more substantial casino operators who are aiming to make a bid to the Japanese government to secure one of the most highly sought after operating permits in the country.
Galaxy is so determined to take hold of such a prestigious permit that, in 2017, they teamed up with SBM, otherwise known as Société des Bains de Mer, in a bid to improve their chances of success.
SBM is a Monaco based casino-hotel company, perhaps known in the industry for their ownership of one of the most famed casinos in the world, the Monte Carlo Casino.
There is, however, fierce competition from rival entertainment companies for a permit to operate in Japan’s thriving casino industry. With proposals in the region of the $10 billion marker, Galaxy Entertainment has some fierce competition on their hands and will need to pull out all the stops to impress the government of Japan.
Currently, those big names that are in the running include giants such as Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock, MGM Resorts, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, and Melco Resorts. With such focus and large figures of capital investment on the table, Galaxy cannot afford to attract any negative publicity in their bid to secure such a significant contract.
Lack of Responsibility Could Be Galaxy’s Downfall
These recent claims of coercing employees into voluntary retirement could not have come at a worse time and could spell difficulty for Galaxy Entertainment as they look towards the Japanese casino industry.
In Japan, many citizens have voiced strong opinions against commercial casinos as well as the introduction of any more casinos into what they feel is already a saturated market. It is because of this feeling of unease that the Japanese government has implemented their Casino Resort bill, which demands future casino operators qualify for to be considered for permits.
With such requirements listed on this bill including responsibility, high morals, and that of a clean nature, industry experts are wondering exactly where this leaves Galaxy, considering recent revelations.
Because Japan is known for the respect they treat their older workers with, these claims could indeed harm Galaxy’s chances.