Fri, Sep 24, 2010
my paper
Many dealers may quit Marina IR
By Kenny Chee
MANY casino employees, particularly dealers, from Marina Bay Sands could be submitting their letters of resignation as early as Monday.
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» Photos: Inside the Marina Bay Sands casino
One employee with the integrated resort, who declined to be named, said that "many dealers are not happy and want to resign".
Industry insiders told my paper that many dealers are unhappy over issues such as pay, hectic work schedules and training.
A social-networking website had a posting which suggested that there was a "mass resignation" of dealers early this month.
One person who posted on the site said he was aware of at least eight staff serving the VIP rooms who would be leaving this month.
The employee that my paper spoke to said that the reason why there could be an exodus of dealers is because "their contract is up".
"They have three months of training and are bonded for six months after that. If they want to leave early, they have to pay (for the training). Now that the six-month bond is up, many want to leave," he said.
It is understood that the training for many dealers began in February. Their bond began on the day Marina Bay Sands opened its doors, which is April 27. So, their six-month bond ends on Oct 26.
If the dealers tender their resignation on Monday, that would give them about a month's notice before their bond ends.
The employee said that he knew of at least three dealers who intend to quit next week. One of them had actually left a higher-paying job in the service industry to become a dealer as it was a new experience. The dealer even turned down an offer to work in a bank.
Frustrated by issues such as not getting paid in a timely manner while on medical leave, as well as the hectic schedules in the first four to five months of work, the dealer decided to leave Sands. He was also upset about being paid less than dealers at Resorts World Sentosa, the other integrated resort.
"The dealer regretted not taking up the bank job," the employee said, adding that the dealer is now looking at either working in the Sentosa IR or in a bank.
The employee and another industry source said that dealers and other staff working on the casino floor of Sands cannot take leave for the rest of the year as it the dates have all been blocked out.
The amount of work required of some staff has also gone up. Both the Marina Bay Sands employee and the industry source told my paper that about a month ago, many of the supervisors of the dealers had to take charge of more tables.
According to a posting on a social- networking website, these supervisors now oversee six or more tables.
When contacted, a Marina Bay Sands spokesman would say only that "we have not received any mass resignations from our casino team members".
http://www.asiaone.com/Business/News/Of ... 38813.html
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