| What: | Star Brisbane Casino workers strike in Brisbane. |
| When: | Friday 4 July |
| Where: | Press conference regarding strike: 11 am, Queens Park, in front of the Queen Victoria Monument. Strike action: 4 pm, Star Casino entry before marching for 4.15 pm assembly at Queens Park. |
| Who: | United Workers Union National President Jo Schofield with striking Star Brisbane Casino workers. |
Workers at Star Brisbane Casino will strike today (EDS: Friday) for the first time ever, protesting a pay offer that would leave long-suffering workers facing a real-wage cut.
After years of keeping Star afloat through crisis after crisis, workers will take protected industrial action from 4 pm after Star failed to bring a reasonable offer to the table, instead attempting to slash weekend penalty rates and a wage deal that fails to address the cost-of-living crisis.
Workers have overwhelmingly voted against a company pay offer that attempts to short-change workers on wages and conditions, and they have now voted for protected industrial action to make their voices heard.
United Workers Union National President Jo Schofield said union members were taking a stand against a deal that sold out the efforts of a highly-skilled workforce.
“While workers kept the place going in the dark days earlier this year, the shiny suits at Star Brisbane Casino blundered from disaster to disaster,” she said.
“Now they’re failing to respect the importance of Star Brisbane workers who have kept the place running through crisis after crisis – with workers often stepping up to take on higher duties.
“It’s also troubling to our members that Star Brisbane’s managers are unable to even match redundancy conditions enjoyed by workers at Star Sydney, when Queensland’s venues are actually Star’s premium attractions.
“It hardly instils confidence in Star Brisbane management’s ability to argue their corner when they seem happy to treat Queenslanders as second-raters.
“The last 18 months have been filled with uncertainty, but Star workers aren’t backing down. This is a workforce including many casual workers who kept the casino running when everything else was falling apart.”
Star’s management needs to come to the table with a fair offer that meets workers’ needs, retains penalty rates and improves redundancy conditions.
“We’re open to a reasonable offer, but right now, Star are trying everything except offering a fair deal,” Ms Schofield said.
“Workers won’t back down. Action will escalate until Star stops choosing corporate greed over common decency, and shows workers the respect they not only deserve, but have clearly earned.”