Bavet casino workers claim unlawful firing

NEARLY 300 former staff members of the Las Vegas Sun Casino and the Win Casino in Svay Rieng province’s Bavet town filed a complaint against the casino owners with provincial authorities on Thursday, saying that they were sacked without justification, a former worker said.

The complaint was sent to the Svay Rieng provincial labour department, the Ministry of Labour and the local rights group Adhoc, Phen Chan Ho said.

“There were 88 staff members of the Win Casino who the owners dismissed without reason,” he said. He added that workers were often forced to work on public holidays without pay and were never given bonuses.

“I will file our complaint with the National Assembly, the Senate and the prime minister if provincial labour officers cannot help us,” he said.

Khem Ponleu, one of around 200 people fired from Las Vegas Sun, said staff members were dismissed despite having signed contracts to work for the remainder of the year.

Ou Sokkheoun, deputy director of the provincial labour department, said he had not met with the staff members, but had received the complaint.

“I called their representatives to meet me on March 15 to ask them about their issues, and then I will call the casino,” he said.

So Chhun, the human resources manager at the Win Casino, said the company had its reasons for firing the employees but declined to elaborate on them.

Management at the Las Vegas Sun Casino could not be reached.