Casino workers In Nepal fighting for new casino owner to honour collective agreement

Over 400 casino workers in Bhairahawa, Lumbini, Nepal, members of the Casino Workers Union (CWU), affiliated with the Nepal Tourism, Hotel, Restaurant, Casino and Allied Workers (NTHRCWU), are locked in a bitter struggle over the Tiger Palace Resort’s new management’s refusal to implement a collective agreement signed on 29 December 2023.

The conflict arose when the casino’s new owners, a U.S.-based Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) group led by Buddhi Sagar Subedi, unilaterally broke the signed agreement soon after they acquired the casino from the Silver Heritage Group (SVH), the previous owner.

Many workers are on the brink of losing their jobs and being denied their rightfully earned compensation due to this dispute. The NRN group had, on one hand, promised to address workers’ concerns, but on the other, went ahead and unilaterally offered new terms of employment with reduced benefits and fired workers without due process.

Roshan Gurung, President of the CWU Tiger Tops Casino/SVH Union, expressed deep disappointment with the new management’s actions, calling them a betrayal of the workers’ trust. The union has exhausted all legal avenues, including labour court interventions, but the management remains defiant.

“We are left with no choice but to take to the streets,” said Khem Raj Khadka, National President of CWU. “We will hold a mass meeting on 5 August, followed by union actions starting 6 August, such as picketing and peaceful demonstrations in front of the casino gates in Bhairahawa. We urge the public and labour organizations to stand in solidarity with our cause.”

UNI Asia & Pacific Regional Secretary Rajendra Acharya expressed support for the workers, having met them personally in Nepal in recent weeks. He said, “The CWU’s struggle is a fight against injustice. Workers throughout the country and the world will stand with them in solidarity.”

The CWU is determined to secure the reinstatement of all terminated workers, payment of outstanding wages, and adherence to the negotiated agreement.