Draft:Star Entertainment Group and Unions

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The Star Entertainment Group is an Australian casino and hospitality company that has had a longstanding relationship with labour unions representing its workforce since the 1990s. The primary union involved is the United Workers Union (UWU) – known in earlier years as United Voice and the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU) – which represents casino employees in departments such as gaming, food and beverage, cleaning, security, and hotel operations[1][2]. Union representation has been a feature at The Star’s properties (including The Star Sydney, The Star Gold Coast, The Star Brisbane and previously Treasury Brisbane) through enterprise bargaining agreements, industrial action, and collaboration on worker conditions.

Union representation and enterprise agreements

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From the opening of The Star’s Sydney casino in the mid-1990s, the LHMU (later United Voice, now part of UWU) has organised workers on site[1]. Regular enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs) have been negotiated at Star casinos in New South Wales and Queensland, covering wages, working hours, and conditions. These agreements are typically renewed every few years and must be approved by industrial tribunals under Australian law. Union officials have often highlighted the company’s profitability when pushing for wage increases and improved conditions, while the company has cited business conditions and competitiveness during negotiations[1][3].

In the 2000s, Star (then owned by Tabcorp Holdings) and the union engaged in protracted EBA negotiations. For example, in 2003 a dispute over the introduction of electronic gaming technology and its impact on jobs led the LHMU to seek arbitration from the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, reflecting the union’s willingness to use legal channels to protect members’ interests[4]. In subsequent agreements, union members secured provisions on pay and job classifications. By the 2010s, enterprise agreements at Star’s properties included not only pay rises but also new benefits; a 2019 agreement at The Star Gold Coast and Treasury Brisbane, for instance, introduced improved minimum hours for part-timers and commitments to limit outsourcing of core jobs[5].

Strikes and industrial disputes

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Union activism at Star sites has occasionally led to strikes and industrial action, especially during enterprise bargaining deadlocks. In August 2004, about 1,500 staff at Sydney’s Star City Casino staged a 24-hour strike after rejecting the casino’s pay offer. The workers – dealers, hospitality and security staff – demanded a 10% pay rise over two years, whereas management had offered 8.5%[3]. The strike, which was endorsed by LHMU members at a mass meeting, marked one of the earliest large-scale walkouts at the casino. At the time, Tabcorp (the casino’s operator) had reported strong turnover of about A$540 million for the year, and union representatives argued the company could afford higher wage increases. The industrial action concluded after negotiations resumed, and a revised wage agreement was eventually reached (with the unionists in Tasmania’s casinos at the same time settling for a similar 9% raise over 16 months)

A major dispute unfolded in late 2009–2010 at Star City Sydney. Staff had been negotiating for a new EBA for over eight months and repeatedly voted down the casino’s offers of a 2% annual pay increase, which the union criticised as a “paltry” raise[4].In late January 2010, union members began rolling strikes across gaming, hospitality, cleaning, and security departments – temporarily walking off the job in protest[1]. In response, Star City’s management locked out over 200 striking employees, including croupiers, chefs and housekeepers, over a weekend of industrial action[3]. Jim Lloyd, then LHMU president, stated that workers were being paid below industry standards while Star’s revenues were rising (the casino had noted an 11.6% increase in takings in the previous quarter). The strikes and lockout garnered media attention and were resolved when the casino improved its wage offer slightly; the final agreement included a pay rise of approximately 7.5% over three years, along with back-pay provisions[3][4].

Industrial actions at The Star’s Queensland casinos have been less prominent, but union bargaining has still been vigorous. In the late 2010s, United Voice (UWU) campaigned for “pay parity” between table game dealers in Brisbane and those on the Gold Coast, as well as for improved working conditions. Protected industrial action (such as brief stop-work meetings or demonstrations) was occasionally threatened during negotiations, though full-scale strikes were largely averted. By 2021–2022, UWU reports indicated successful outcomes at The Star Gold Coast, with members “winning big” in a new agreement that delivered annual wage increases (around 2.5–3% per year) and preserved penalty rates and other conditions[5].

Collaboration and disputes on worker welfare

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Aside from wage negotiations, the company’s relations with unions have extended to employee welfare and job security initiatives. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, The Star Entertainment Group cooperated with the United Workers Union to establish a hardship fund for stood-down employees. With casinos forced to shut for extended periods, more than 600 affected workers in Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane received emergency payments from a fund totalling A$2.8 million, which was negotiated by the union and the company[5]. The UWU praised this joint effort, noting it helped many staff who were ineligible for government assistance during the shutdowns. Both the union and the company publicly acknowledged the need to support workers through the crisis, and The Star’s management stated it would “do what they can” to assist employees in financial distress[5].

The Star has also faced legal and regulatory actions related to employment. In February 2022, the group revealed it had underpaid approximately 2,200 staff over a six-year period, by about A$13 million in total[6]. The underpayments mostly affected salaried employees whose pay did not sufficiently cover award overtime and penalty rate entitlements. The company’s CEO at the time, Matt Bekier, issued a public apology and pledged to reimburse all affected employees with interest[6]. The United Workers Union responded that any instance of wage theft was “concerning” and urged that all owed monies be repaid quickly and in full[6]. A UWU spokesperson pointed out that such underpayment issues are far less likely to occur for workers covered by union-negotiated agreements, implicitly criticizing The Star’s past reliance on individual arrangements for some staff. Following the revelations, The Star notified the Fair Work Ombudsman and worked with regulators to ensure compliance going forward[6].

Job security and recent developments

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In the early 2020s, The Star Entertainment Group came under intense regulatory scrutiny and financial pressure due to inquiries into money laundering and governance failures at its casinos. Hefty fines (including A$100 million penalties in New South Wales and Queensland) and the threat of license suspensions led to a sharp decline in the company’s share value[4]. These developments raised concerns about mass job losses at The Star’s properties. The United Workers Union took a public stance urging that workers’ livelihoods be protected amidst the turmoil. In 2023–2024, UWU officials argued that employees should “not have to pay the price for mismanagement” of the casinos and called on state governments to support the company in order to save roughly 8,000 jobs nationwide[7]. Union representatives, such as UWU casinos director Andrew Jones, pressed all parties – the company, regulators, and government – to do everything possible to keep The Star’s doors open and avoid layoffs[7].

These advocacy efforts contributed to concrete measures. In February 2024, the New South Wales Government brokered a Jobs Guarantee Agreement with The Star, in consultation with UWU, to secure employment levels at The Star Sydney. Under this binding agreement, The Star is legally required to maintain a minimum of 3,000 jobs at its Sydney casino through June 2030, with quarterly reporting on headcount[8].

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Star City staff strike over wages". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 Jan 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  2. ^ "We fight for fairness at the casino". unitedworkers.org.au. United Workers Union. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific". World Socialist Web Site. 4 January 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d Donohoe, Pat (6 February 2010). "Star City workers strike for wage justice". Green Left. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d "Casinos Current Campaigns". unitedworkers.org.au. United Workers Union. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d Marsh, Stuart (7 February 2022). "The Star to repay thousands of workers after $13 million of underpayments found". 9News. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Alex (5 September 2024). "Fight to save jobs as The Star's casino empire teeters". The Nightly. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  8. ^ "NSW Government and The Star sign Jobs Guarantee Agreement". www.nsw.gov.au. NSW Government. Retrieved 27 May 2025.