FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, August 22, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT:
Bethany Khan: bkhan@culinaryunion226.org ▪ (702) 387-7088
STATEMENT by Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Pappageorge regarding Evolution in the Central Asian country of Georgia (public comment at Nevada Gaming Commission):
Culinary Union provided public comment before the Gaming Control Board this morning to draw their attention to a major strike by employees of Evolution in the Central Asian country of Georgia.
Evolution announced last month that it was going to acquire Galaxy Gaming of Las Vegas, subject to regulatory approvals.
Evolution is a Swedish company that provides live casino games to various online casino operators in the U.S. and elsewhere. It is a fast-growing and highly profitable company. In 2023, the company generated 1.8 billion Euros in operating revenues and 1.07 billion Euros in after-tax profit (source).
For the first half of 2024, it had just over 1 billion Euros of operating revenues and 538.3 million Euros in after-tax profit (source). Its EBITDA margin was 70.5% in 2023 and 68.5% in the first half of 2024.
According to the company’s latest annual report, “Tbilisi is [its] largest hub, where a mix of English-speaking and international game presenter teams are working.” Evolution claims to have 8,000 workers in Georgia.
In spite of the company’s financial success, these Evolution workers in Georgia are fighting for higher pay, better and cleaner working conditions, and basic respect on the job.
Civil Georgia, an NGO-run news site, reported in July 2023 that Evolution was advertising an entry-level game presenter job that paid from 900 Georgian lari to 1225 Georgian lari a month, about $329 to $450 a month (source). The National Statistics Office of Georgia reports that the average monthly nominal earnings in the first quarter of 2024 was about 1943.4 Georgian lari, or around $718.5 a month (source).
On July 12 this year, more than 4,000 of these workers went on strike. The strike started after a legal process that included a 21-day mediation period that ended on June 25. The union gave the company notice three days prior to starting the strike.
On August 12, four of the workers started a hunger strike.
The Culinary Union offers solidarity to the Evolution workers in Georgia and asks the Nevada Gaming Commission to take into consideration the labor practices of this company, in Georgia and anywhere else, as the Board reviews the potential application for a Nevada gaming license related to the acquisition of Galaxy Gaming.
Culinary Union urges the Nevada Gaming Commission to reject Evolution’s application if it continues to refuse to treat its employees with respect and provide for decent wages and safe working conditions.
—
ABOUT CULINARY UNION:
Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165, Nevada affiliates of UNITE HERE, represent 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno, including at most of the casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and in Downtown Las Vegas. UNITE HERE represents 300,000 workers in gaming, hotel, and food service industries in North America.
The Culinary Union, through the Culinary Health Fund, is one of the largest healthcare consumers in the state. The Culinary Health Fund is sponsored by the Culinary Union and Las Vegas-area employers. It provides health insurance coverage for over 145,000 Nevadans, the Culinary Union’s members, and their dependents.
The Culinary Union is Nevada’s largest Latinx/Black/AAPI/immigrant organization with members who come from 178 countries and speak over 40 different languages. We are proud to have helped over 18,000 immigrants become American citizens and new voters since 2001 through our affiliate, The Citizenship Project.
The Culinary Union has a diverse membership which is 55% women and 60% immigrants. The demographics of Culinary Union members are approximately: 54% Latinx, 18% white, 15% Asian, 12% Black, and less than 1% Indigenous Peoples.
Culinary Union members work as: Guest room attendants, cocktail and food servers, porters, bellmen, cooks, bartenders, laundry, and kitchen workers. The Culinary Union has been fighting and winning for working families in Nevada for 89 years.
CulinaryUnion226.org / @Culinary226
###