Casino du Liban’s board of directors is reassessing its decision to lay off 191 employees, according to Jack Khoueiry, head of the Casino Games Employees Union.
Khoueiry told the National News Agency Wednesday that the casino’s board of directors is evaluating the performance of sacked employees on a case-by-case basis and would reconsider the status of those who were unjustly fired.
Earlier Wednesday, sacked employees staged a protest outside the casino premises in Maameltein north of Beirut, blocking access for the second consecutive day.
Casino du Liban’s administration announced Tuesday that it was seeking to resolve accumulating financial and administrative woes, and blamed unproductive employees for a decline in revenues.
“Some employees’ lack of productivity and attendance has led to a deterioration in operations and revenues, which puts at stake the company’s future and existence,” Casino du Liban said in a statement.
Sacked employees said corruption, political favoritism and embezzlement are to blame for the decline in the casino’s revenues, urging Labor Minister Sejaan Azzi and Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh to reinstate them.
Khoueiry claimed Tuesday that close to half of the 191 employees were fired unjustly. “Around 100 of these people have been impacted unfairly by this decision,” he said.
“We are concerned for those who do not have other jobs outside the casino and the union will stand behind them,” he said.
The An-Nahar newspaper reported that the sacked employees would receive $11 million worth of indemnities, whereby each employee would be paid 12 to 36 times his most recent salary.
Azzi promised Wednesday to follow up closely on the casino’s expected reforms. “Reform measures at Casino du Liban should be comprehensive. While it is unacceptable to dismiss productive employees, it is also necessary to lay off staff members who fail to assume their responsibilities,” he said.
Azzi made his remarks following a meeting with Hamid Kredie, chairman of Casino du Liban.
