NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMISSION

MR. ARTURO CASTELLANOS

CHAIRPERSON JAMES: Arturo Castellanos?

MR. CASTELLANOS: (Through translator.) Thank you. My name is Arturo Castellanos. I work at the Bicycle Club Casino. I've been there for three years and I work as a porter.

The lack of control and the imbalance among different casinos is notable. There are some casinos where people have rights and benefits. Some have benefits for the family, they have good wages, and they have job security, and above all they have respect and dignity for the worker.

And the other side of that, on the other side of that some of them are very different. In my case, at my work place I don't have medical benefits for my family, they are very expensive and I can't pay for them. I have a son and I have a lot of dreams for him. I want him to have a better future and a good education. I want to save money and when my son is ready I want to have that money for him. But I'm not going to be able to because if my wife were to get sick I would have to pay that money. And that makes my son's future insecure.

The casinos have a lot of profit and they can give us those benefits that I speaking for myself I need. My family is the one who suffers. We don't have prosperity and we don't have a lot of joy, we do have a lot sadness and we have a lot of disorder in our family.

One person by themselves can't fight a whole army because it's depressing. That's why I want the union at my job so that I can have a better life particularly for my family.

Thank you.

CHAIRPERSON JAMES: Thank you.