Buenos Aires: Casino workers declare wage emergency

Argentina's Asociación de Empleados de Casinos Nacionales (AECN) has declared a wage emergency for casino workers across Buenos Aires Province, urging provincial authorities to address deteriorating purchasing power and what the union describes as prolonged inaction on labor negotiations.

The organization said the last two wage agreements were never implemented and that technical meetings aimed at updating collective bargaining conditions were not convened as scheduled. Procedures to formalize employment status through the provincial system also remain pending, despite commitments made earlier this year.

AECN is demanding enforcement of legally mandated double pay for Sundays, category upgrades for control supervisors, recognition of night-shift differentials and overtime rotation requirements, as well as acknowledgement of the specific working conditions faced by casino-floor personnel, including those operating gaming tables, slot machines and cashier positions.

The union also called for operational modernization, including the urgent implementation of QR codes at cashier windows to strengthen revenue control and improve employee welfare funds.

In addition to wage concerns, AECN is seeking formal inclusion of casino workers in the development and operation of online gaming, alongside mechanisms for redistributing revenues generated by digital betting platforms.

The labor dispute is further compounded by a crisis at IOMA, the Buenos Aires public health insurance provider. According to the union, outstanding debts from IOMA and Aceapp to medical centers in Mar del Plata and Tigre have resulted in service delays and reductions, leaving casino workers with limited access to healthcare coverage.

The declaration comes against the backdrop of continued economic instability in Argentina, where inflation and currency depreciation have steadily eroded real wages across both public and private sectors.