
Issue No 50		14 April 2000

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News

Sock Nazis Spark Casino Strike

Intrusive management practices, including written warnings for staff who wear navy rather than black socks, is behind strike action that will hit Sydney's Star City Casino this weekend.


	Delegates: Sean Dwyer and Stephen Clark

Workers will work off the job from 4am Saturday until 4am Sunday over the Casino management's refusal to enter into meaningful talks on an enterprise agreement to replace the one that expired on March 30.

It is the first strike action ever at the Casino and follows a sustained organizing campaign of the 2800 workers by the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union. A further 500 members have joined the union this week alone, brining coverage to around 70 per cent.

Casino delegates Sean Dwyer and Stephen Clark told the NSW Labor Council last night that the deadlocked negotiations have occurred against the backdrop of heavy-handed management adopting stalling tactics.

Dwyer cited the socks incident as a sign of the "extremely regimented" manner in which the workforce is treated. This also included authorizing routine security checks of workers' lockers.

At the same time the management was refusing to address the key concerns that workers had put up for negotiation in the enterprise agreement.

These were:

- Passive smoking, particularly for croupiers who have smoke blown in their faces.

- Protection against abusive customers

- Security, including installing metal detectors to ensure patrons are not carrying knives or other weapons.

The NSW Labor Council has supported the casino workers and secretary Michael Costa will join them Saturday morning when they walk out the door.

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  Issue 50 contents

Interview: The Gospel According To ...
Green Bans legend Jack Mundey looks back on his days in the BLF and the lessons that can be drawn from that experience today,

Unions: Spinning at the Casino
In the lead-up to this weekend's historic strike, active LHMU members at Sydney�s Star City Casino have been making their own news.

East Timor: Rebuilding From the Nightmare
NSW Attorney General Jeff Shaw travelled to Dili to get a first-hand perspective on the reconstruction work required.

History: Internal Democracy and the BLF
How the rank and file team that took over the BLF in the early sixties attempted to devolve power to the grassroots.

International: Towards Liberation
Zimbabwe trade unions are at the centre of the democratic struggle going on within the African Nation

Republic: The Referendum We Had To Have
Paul Norton finds some hope in last year's resounding defeat of the republic proposition.

Work/Time/Life: @work in the e-century
Marian Baird takes stock of how far we�ve come, or not come, in terms of our working life.

Review: Rocking the Foundations
Pat Fiske's wonderful documentary on the BLF should be compulsory viewing for anyone in the union movement talking about shifting to an Organising Model.

» Sock Nazis Spark Casino Strike

» Grave Fears Over Carr's Funeral Agenda

» Packer, Pratt to Profit at Unions' Expense

» Telstra Discrimination: 'Round one' to the Workers

» Timor Fundraiser a Blast

» Water workers flood CBD head office

» Libs Plead for Help on IR

» Employment National Workers Win CES Conditions

» Teachers Deal Still Undone

» Pressure Builds for Compo Pull-Out

» Pacific Unions Increase Regional Ties

» Ellis to Give May Day Toast

» Special Comp: Just Who Are Our Friends?