Local construction workers whose contracts were not renewed after completing Galaxy Entertainment Group’s (GEG) Phase 3 project claimed yesterday that their non-local peers from Phase 3 have been transferred to work on the Phase 4 project but not the locals, a claim that Galaxy categorically denied in a statement last night.
According to public broadcaster TDM’s Chinese-language channel, about a hundred construction workers gathered outside Galaxy Macau’s Phase 3 site yesterday morning to demand an “explanation” for – allegedly – transferring non-local workers to work on the Phase 4 site but not the local workers.
The Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) said in a statement yesterday that some local workers complained to the bureau that their employment and labour rights had been harmed, and so the bureau immediately went to the construction site and met the complainants’ employers and contractors concerning the situation.
The bureau also pointed out in the statement that some of the workers spoke to the bureau on Friday about the situation, and assisted 275 construction workers in signing up to the bureau’s job-seeking system and helped them with job matching and skills testing.
Yesterday evening, a spokesperson for GEG told The Macau Post Daily that due to the substantial completion of the relevant formwork and bar-bending work at the construction sites at GEG’s Phase 3 project, related contractors and their sub-contractors had arranged for the exit of all relevant non-local moulders and bar benders from the construction sites by June 30 before arranging the exit of the relevant local moulders and bar benders from July 7 to July 9.
The spokesperson said that the contractors and sub-contractors had paid out all required compensation to the affected workers in line with workers’ contracts and the Macau Labour Relations Law, adding that most of the workers had accepted the compensation
“As the owner of the project, GEG has immediately ordered the construction contractor of its Phase 4 project to try its best to prioritise the recruitment of these local workers,” the spokesperson said, adding “The interview process was begun this afternoon [yesterday]. In the meantime, GEG would like to clarify that among all the relevant non-local moulders and bar benders who exited the construction sites, none of them have been recruited for the Phase 4 project.”
This handout photo provided by the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) shows the bureau’s staff speaking with workers at the GEG Phase 3 project construction site in Cotai yesterday.
