{"id":10496,"date":"2023-05-31T14:53:03","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T12:53:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/?post_type=news&p=10496"},"modified":"2023-05-31T15:03:49","modified_gmt":"2023-05-31T13:03:49","slug":"casino_union_wins_members_nepal","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/uniglobalunion.org\/news\/casino_union_wins_members_nepal\/","title":{"rendered":"Casino union wins new members in Nepal"},"content":{"rendered":"
UNI Global Union\u2019s affiliate in Nepal, the Casino Workers\u2019 Union (CWU), has increased its membership by more than 600 workers. Most recently they organized 325 workers at the Deltin Casino at Marriot Hotel in Kathmandu, as well as uniting workers of Happy Hour mini-casinos in Mahendranagar and Nepalgunj.<\/p>\r\n
Last year Nepal\u2019s casinos were granted permission to reopen after more than 18 months of shutting their doors due to COVID-19. The industry is said to employ around 12,000 to 15,000 people.<\/p>\r\n
CWU fights for the rights and welfare of employees in the gaming industry, where workers are low paid and stigmatized, as Nepalese people themselves are not allowed to gamble. Affiliating to the union, casino workers get a platform for collective bargaining and negotiation with employers for better pay, improved working conditions and opportunities for professional growth in the sector.<\/p>\r\n
Speaking on the win at the Deltin Casino, the President of the CWU Marriot hotel unit Mr. Dinesh Acharya<\/strong> said: “We were faced with many hurdles to organize workers at Deltin Casino but through hard work and a platform to improve salaries and end outsourcing, we were able to convince all the workers to join our union.” <\/em><\/p>\r\n CWU-Nepal President Khem Khadka<\/strong> added, “Employers and the state try to weaken the trade union movement. It has left us with two choices: either organize to be strong or get exploited; we always choose the first option because a strong voice brings dignity too.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n Casino workers in Nepal have faced severe challenges over the past decade, including a complete ban on all casinos in 2014, the country\u2019s devasting earthquake in 2015 and then Covid-19, which shut down the industry. As a consequence, many casino workers lost their jobs and were compelled to change career or look for work in casinos outside Nepal.<\/p>\r\n