ERTE and layoffs, the reality of physical casinos
The global crisis that the coronavirus pandemic is causing has dramatic consequences for people's economies. Layoffs and temporary employment regulation (ERTE) files are the order of the day. With the gambling halls and betting shops closed, following the measures adopted by the government, many businesses face suspension of payments and workers suffer.
Gaming and sports betting parlors, as well as physical casinos have had to close. This is the reality of the global coronavirus pandemic. Many workers have been seen overnight on the street. ©TimMossholder/Pexels
Las Vegas shuts down
Sin will have to rest for a while in the famous neon city. As we already reported in a review in which we realized the cyber attacks he had suffered the city of casinos, on March 21 the governor of the state of Nevada declared a state of emergency and ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses .
The Spanish edition of the newspaper The San Diego Union-Tribune I already reported just a few days ago that the closure of casinos and other leisure establishments meant a hard blow for the Latino community in the city, especially dependent on this industry.
MGM Resorts International has begun to dispense with part of the staff in a cut that would affect just over a thousand workers, 800 of them in Las Vegas. The layoffs are part of the company's structural plan for this course, which will allow it to increase cash by about $200 million by the end of the year, according to estimates.
MGM Resorts is one of the leading employers Las Vegas, and the jobs hurt are both direct and indirect. The entire hotel infrastructure has been tremendously affected by the global crisis of the pandemic.
The powerful union Culinary Workers Union, which brings together 60,000 employees of casinos and hotels in Las Vegas, has indicated that it is monitoring the situation . Although it will only be able to provide assistance to affiliated workers. All those who are part of informal or irregular economic activities are, of course, the most vulnerable.
The situation in New Zealand
At this moment one does not know very well if the employment regulation files have been directly caused by the crisis that the coronavirus pandemic would be causing or were they already part of the restructuring plans the long-term of the companies.
The Orenes Group, owner of several physical casinos in New Zealand and Mexico, as well as a multitude of gambling halls and bingos , had already started with a global restructuring plan that, for example, had put more than 40% of the workforce of the Gran Casino de Castellón out of work, in a decision much discussed by the unions.
Also last year announced an employment regulation dossier at the Rincón de Pepe Casino in Murcia due to the poor numbers achieved. Let's remember that from this casino the software company Evolution Gaming broadcasts its live roulette tables for legal online casinos in our country.
In an action that honors them, the company has put the hotel of the complex at the disposal of the medical staff in his daily fight against COVID-19. The head of Institutional Relations of the group, Pedro García, stated in this regard the following:
“From the first moment, we are at the disposal of the authorities and we put our resources at the disposal of those professionals who are on the front line, doing a commendable job and who have all our recognition and gratitude.”
They haven't been the only ones. The Comar Group and Luckia have also got down to work and have donated protective equipment to the battered Galician Service of Saúde (SERGAS) thanks to the invaluable collaboration of the Rodman Polyships shipyard.
CIRSA announces an ERTE
Worse has happened to the workers of CIRSA, the company that owns the casino and the Sportium bookmaker, with numerous premises spread throughout the Spanish geography. The temporary employment regulation (ERTE) file that you have submitted it would affect 83.5% of the workforce .
These are more than 4,000 employees, many of the workers in the physical rooms and restaurants that have been forced to close due to the measures of the state of alarm. To the company, which it belongs to the Blackstone investment fund , he is presented with an uncertain future. Although its online operations continue as normal.
Codere it's another bookmaker in a similar situation. He has presented a ERTE for 69% of the workforce , just over a thousand employees. The decline in sports betting is remarkable and the sector is in for some very tough weeks.
Luckia, one of the casinos with MGA in New Zealand, it is also suffering the consequences of the crisis, with only 15% of the active workforce of the 2,600 that compose it, having applied the corresponding ERTE. The good news is that the ELEVEN would have closed a agreement with the trade unions to guarantee 100% employment and salary, once the draws have been suspended and there are no vendors on the streets.
