Workers at Crown Melbourne will escalate industrial action this week, accusing the company of stalling bargaining and refusing to put forward any wage offer, despite the casino entering one of its busiest periods of the year.
Crown has failed to make any movement on wages in recent bargaining, following its failed attempt to introduce a two-tier wage system that would see new employees paid up to 32 per cent less for doing the same work.
United Workers Union Director of Casinos and Clubs Andrew Jones said workers had bargained in good faith and were now facing deliberate delay.
“Crown has not put a wage offer on the table since its failed agreement. Instead, they have stalled meetings and continue to delay a pay rise for workers due in July 2025,” Mr Jones said.
“It is clear Crown management has failed to hear the voices of workers who overwhelmingly voted down their previous wage proposal,”
“That is a strategy to drag this bargaining out and not reach agreement,”
“At a time when cost of living pressures are hitting working people hard, Crown is refusing to make any wage movement at all,” Mr Jones said.
“The workers who make Crown possible deserve a fair wage offer, not delay tactics.”
Industrial action for 12 hours is being planned for Saturday, ahead of key trading night Valentine’s Day, which is expected to attract significant patronage.
“Workers do not take action lightly,” Mr Jones said.
“But if Crown continues to refuse to put forward a fair wage proposal workers will use the collective power available to them. The company can resolve this immediately by returning to the table with a genuine offer.”
United Workers Union is calling on Crown Melbourne to engage constructively and reach a fair agreement that reflects rising living costs and protects standards across the workforce.
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