Macau casino workers start industrial action to push for higher pay

Macau casino croupiers yesterday began an unprecedented campaign of industrial action for better working conditions - the first such move in the former Portuguese enclave's history.

It came as 200 people took to the streets to protest against soaring house prices, as an increasingly restive city prepared for Fernando Chui Sai-on's re-election as leader running unopposed for a second term today.

Yesterday's action by the casino workers - which included a refusal to work overtime - could hint at some of the problems that Chui might face in his second term. The gaming floor discontent sent a ripple through the industry, causing casino stocks to fall going into the weekend.

It follows a demonstration last week by about 1,400 casino workers, who marched through the city to demand better conditions, and comes in the wake of a series of public protests in recent months.

Today a Sunday Morning Post investigation reveals that behind the glitzy, ultra-modern facade of the new Macau, lies a deeply conservative and entrenched power structure.