The Macau Federation of Trade Unions (FAOM; aka Gung Luen) co-hosted a press conference in conjunction with the Macau Economic Sciences Association yesterday to announce that the findings of their latest survey show, among other things, that 63 percent of local employees believe that the government’s policies on non-resident workers (NRWs) are “inadequate”.
The press conference was held at Gung Luen’s Macau Gaming Enterprises Staff Association office on Estrada Marginal do Hipódromo in Areia Preta.
The findings indicate that around 60 percent of employees reported no change in their wages compared to last year, while 10 percent reported a decrease, reflecting uneven salary adjustments across different industries.
The findings also show that 63 percent of employees believe that the current “Law on the Hiring of Non-Resident Workers” lacks a “local hiring priority” mechanism, while 60 percent said they were concerned that the lower wages of NRWs compared to their local counterparts create unfair competition.
The association’s recommendations include tightening the approval process for NRWs, establishing “reasonable” salary thresholds, and promoting industry transformation and vocational training.
Regarding working hours, the findings show that over 64 percent of employees have only one to 1.5 rest days per week. The association’s recommendations also include promoting corporate digital transformation, legally defining employees’ “right to disconnect,” and establishing fair shift and compensation mechanisms to protect employees’ right to rest.
Furthermore, the association recommends that the local government should strengthen employees’ financial planning support, vocational training, and psychological counselling services to enhance labour welfare and job security.
Additionally, the association also said that the government should increase the “cost” of illegal employment, enhance cross-departmental supervision and technology-based enforcement, and establish a user-friendly platform for reporting illegal employment, among other measures.
Representatives from the Macau Federation of Trade Unions ( FAOM; aka Gung Luen) and the Macau Economic Sciences Association look on during yesterday’s press conference, including lawmaker Leong Sun Iok (centre). – Photo: Gung Luen
Workers install a Christmas decoration in the city’s main square, Largo do Senado, yesterday. – Photo: Armindo Neves
