
Issue No 111		14 September 2001

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News

Casino Staff Locked Out Again

By Andrew Casey

500 Gold Coast Conrad Jupiters Casino staff were locked out by their bosses on Tuesday night - for four more days - even though they were not participating in any form of industrial action.

This week's four day lock out would have been on top of an earlier three day lock out of casino workers, which was just coming to an end.

However Federal Court proceedings quickly forced Casino management to back down, allowing union members to return to work on Wednesday night.

The LHMU Casino Union went to the Federal Court claiming the company was victimising union members just 'cause they were wearing LHMU union pins.

In court a compromise was agreed to get union members back to work.

The company accepted union delegates would wear their union pins until a full court hearing of the company's union pins ban is heard. The court will hold a directions hearing on this issue next week.

Union pride

" Many of our members wear their union pin badges just like their neighbours, friends and mates, might wear an RSL badge or a Rotary badge," Irene Monro from the LHMU Casino Union said.

" Rotary members are proud of their organisation. RSL members are proud of their organisation. LHMU members are proud of being members of their union."

" At the end of the three day legal lockout period the LHMU Casino Union notified Conrad Jupiters management that our members had voted to stop wearing union protest badges, worn as a visual protest against their employer refusing to negotiate a decent enterprise agreement.

" These badges had slogans on them such as: Putting the Con in Conrad; I'm Angry; Lies,Lies,Lies where's the Pay Rise? ," Irene Monro said.

Pit Boss

The company's lock out legally ended at 8pm on Tuesday, so LHMU Casino Union members fronted for work.

" As each Table Games staff member turned up for work they were grilled by the Casino Pit Boss, and asked whether they intended to participate in any industrial action.

" Each member clearly told the Pit Boss that they were not participating in any form of industrial action," Irene Monro said.

" When they answered: "No, I will not be participating in action tonight" Jupiters management asked them why they were wearing their LHMU Union pins.

" Employees responded," This is the pin I have been wearing for many months, it is my Union pin not my protest badge."

" Management then informed employees that the company considered the pins a form of industrial action.

" This was an extraordinary act. It shows a level of belligerence from a company trying to avoid negotiating a fair enterprise agreement."

Jupiters Casino is run and operated by the US multinational gaming and resort giant, Park Place Entertainment Corporation.

Visit the LHMU's Casino web-page

Read earlier stories about this dispute at the LHMU Casino Workers web-page.

   Visit the LHMU

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  Issue 111 contents

Interview: Amidst the Debris
ACTU President Sharan Burrow surveys the wreckage from a week that rocked the world.

Politics: Consequences of Empire
The horror of the events in New York has not led to all American and international observers feeling committed to bloody revenge.

Industrial: Grounded
Ansett workers lay bare their feelings at seeing their company driven into oblivion.

International: Election Results from East Timor
Fretelin as expected has topped the poll in East Timor’s first free democratic election and the violence predicted by some has not eventuated.

E-Change: 3.2 The Electronic Consumerist
In their latest instalment Peter Lewis and Michael Gadiel ask how effective has the law become in safeguarding the things that really matter to us?

Legal: Howard's Falkland War
Zoe Reynolds chronicles the bizarre tale of the Tampa and how a group of refugees bacame pawns in a bigger political game.

Compo: Round Two Begins
Nancy Searle reviews the Sheahan Report and highlights some of the areas of concern to injured workers.

Economics: Knowledge, Power, Banking
Raj Patel questions whether a new World Bank initiative is actually designed to control the way the Third World thinks.

Review: Political Theatre
The Naked Theatre Company is a youthful, adventurous, professional, Sydney theatre company committed to the development and production of Australian playwrights.

Satire: Howard US Visit "Marginally Overshadowed"
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said his US trip was a complete success, if slightly upstaged towards the middle.

» Howard Deserts Ansett Workers

» Trans Tasman Battle for Entitlements

» Qantas Workers Move To Protect Their Entitlements

» Unions Denounce Muslim Attacks

» Fund Established for New York Workers

» Australian Unionist Lost in New York

» US Flight Crews Support Ansett Workers

» Compo: Threshold Too High

» Della Moves on Premium Evasion

» Travel Site Severs Burma Links

» Paint Company Wants Strike Declared Illegal

» Casino Staff Locked Out Again

» Tax Staff to Strike Back

» Union Applauds Deet Ruling On Clothing

» Unions Take Message to Migrant Workers

» Get Ready to Wobble

» Activists' Notebook

» STOP PRESS: Howard Rolls Abbott on Entitlements