Situation at Evolution Gaming in Georgia critical as hunger strike continues

Gaming workers at Evolution in Georgia, a Swedish-owned online gambling company, have been on hunger strike for more than a week, as the company refuses all attempts to engage with their union, EVO.

Circumstances are getting more critical by the day since four activists began their protest on 12 August.

The hunger strike began one month after thousands of workers walked off the job as part of a broader strike action at the Georgian operation of the gaming giant, protesting pitiful wages, dangerous working conditions and harassment.

UNI Global Union’s Head of Gaming, Giedre Lelyte, said:

“There is no time to lose. Evolution must stop gambling with workers’ health and safety and urgently intervene to ensure management in Georgia starts negotiating with the union as soon as possible.”

EVO union, which is affiliated to UNI through the LABOR trade union in Georgia, says the company has responded by threatening to fire a thousand workers and suspending health insurance for all strikers, including cancer patients, pregnant women and employees with chronic illnesses – which is illegal.

The strike is making headlines in Georgia, but the company remains intransigent, despite calls from the national Ombudsman to negotiate with EVO. 

Workers are taking a stand against the dire working conditions at the Tbilisi-based studio, which employs around 8,000 workers. Problems include water leaking from bathrooms onto electrical systems, workers being bitten by insects infesting the building, and a lack ventilation and air conditioning.

Wages are another key issue. The online gaming workers want to double their current salaries of US$200 to US$250 per month for a 40-hour plus week, which is a fraction of what workers earn in casinos doing the same job.  The average salary in Georgia is US$700 dollars a month.  

The union also says managers who were caught harassing and bullying workers are still working at the company.

“This is not just a local matter, more than half of Evolution’s employees are based in Georgia. If the tables were turned, Evolution would never get away with this callous treatment of workers in Sweden,” said Lelyte.

After highlighting the health and safety risks, as well as the hunger strike to the Georgian parliament, the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Defence has been tasked to investigate the working conditions at Evolution.