A single mother who leads one of the biggest workers labor union in Macau asserts their right to a cleaner air, better wages, and improved working conditions as the casinos in the gambling hub continue to ignore their plight.

Cloee Chao, a mother of two, warned that the labor unions, including the Macau Gaming Industry Frontline (MGIF) Workers, will not stop holding protests and labor strikes if major casinos continue to resist against their appeal to improve working environments and provide better remuneration for their hard work.

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During an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday, Chao recounted when she first made the decision to challenge billionaires owning several major casinos in the gambling district.

"I just couldn't stop coughing. I was scared. If I died, what would happen to my daughters?" she narrated, explaining how she hacked up black phlegm due to her constant exposure to second-hand smoke while she worked at a Macau casino in 2012.

At first, her protest was mainly for cleaner air and a better work environment. However, when her employer, Wynn Macau, Ltd., ignored her plea, the battle heightened.

Since then, she had lead labor unions and protests against the unfair treatment they received from the billionaires of Macau, in which their latest protest occurred last week.

On August 25, thousands of MGIF workers marched through the streets of the city while waving banners and chanting slogans, stopping at the city's largest casinos, such as Sands China, Ltd., Galaxy Entertainment Group, Ltd., and SJM Holdings, Ltd.

Local enforcement officers barricaded the casinos' entrances to stop demonstrators from entering the establishments.

Chao's group demanded 10 percent increase of salaries for laborers below the managerial level, an extension for the smoking prohibition to casinos in the district, and banning of foreign laborers from taking their jobs.

"We don't rule out strikes or violent actions if the casino companies continue to ignore us and pretend nothing has happened," she declared during the end of their rally.

TagsMacau, casino, Protest, labor, union