Three Evolution Georgia employees go on hunger strike
Date: 2024-08-19 Author: Leon Pierce Categories: CASINO
On August 13, three employees of Evolution Gaming in Georgia went on hunger strike to protest the management’s refusal to negotiate on their demands.
This radical move is a continuation of the strike that began on July 12 at the initiative of the Georgian branch of UNI Global Union. The union organizes online dealers and game show hosts through the EVO association.
The strike attracted the attention of hundreds of workers at the Tbilisi studio, who complained about poor working conditions, low pay, and harassment from management. Initially, it was expected that at least 5,000 employees would take part in the strike.
Waiting for a mediator
Among the hunger strikers is game host Tamar Ansiani, who is also a representative of the union. In an interview for NEXT.io, she expressed disappointment with the lack of dialogue from the company’s management. She stressed that the length of the hunger strike depends on the response of the company and government agencies.
Ansiani, who has already begun to feel weak and have headaches, explained that the hunger strikers are “waiting for the government to take responsibility and appoint a mediator to resolve the dispute.” She also added that if no progress is made, other colleagues may join the hunger strike.
Union Blocking of Entrances
Carl Linton, the head of investor relations for the company, noted that while the strike was “limited” and did not significantly affect operations, the union’s decision to “illegally block entrances to work sites” on August 1 made the situation worse.
Linton pointed out that blocking entrances is illegal in Georgia, which prevented thousands of employees from accessing work and violated the conditions for maintaining full operational capacity at the studio.
To make matters worse, the company announced last week the “unwelcome decision” to cut 1,000 jobs in the country. In a statement on Facebook, it was called “a direct consequence of the union’s illegal actions and their negative impact on Evolution’s operations in Georgia.”
The same statement also mentioned that the damage caused by the union had affected Evolution customers’ perception of Georgia.
40 demands remain unanswered
Evolution employees, with the support of the union, have compiled a list of 40 demands awaiting approval. Among them are significant wage increases, including a 100% increase for various positions such as card shufflers, service managers, and game hosts.
The union has provided unofficial data showing that the average monthly net salary for card shufflers is 600 GEL ($221) and for dealers is 900 GEL ($332). The company’s total annual salary costs are estimated at 112 million lari ($41.7 million), giving an average salary across operations of about 1,200 lari ($442).
The union claims that this figure is inflated, as it includes the high salaries of managers and global office staff based in the country.
The union’s other demands include a 5% salary increase for every six months of service, timely payment of salaries, indexation of salaries to inflation, improved working conditions, and the company covering the cost of uniforms, cosmetics, and shoes.
Controversial negotiations
The strike has sparked mixed opinions among employees, with some expressing discontent on social media, while others believe that meeting the demands could bring salaries closer to those of entry-level lawyers in Georgia.
According to NEXT.io, the union’s estimates may not reflect the full package of employee benefits, including overtime pay, gym access, discounted meals, parental leave, free language courses, and health insurance.
Earlier this month, the company, which employs 8,000 people in Georgia, issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to the domestic market, emphasizing career opportunities, but condemning the ongoing strikes as unacceptable.
