SIX former staff members at a casino in Banteay Meanchey province who are protesting the Thai owner’s decision to sack them have taken their case to the provincial Labour Department, a representative of the group said Monday.

The workers had originally filed a complaint with the rights group Adhoc last month, but decided to take it to the government last Thursday in an attempt to resolve the dispute more quickly.

The workers have said that the casino owner locked them in a room at the casino before accusing them of colluding with guests to cheat him out of winnings, allegations they have vehemently denied.

A casino representative, Tea Chhang, said Monday that the casino had not yet heard anything from the Labour Department, but reiterated the casino’s argument that the firings had been justified, adding that there was more than enough evidence to prove that the workers had stolen winnings.

“But we pity them,” he said. “That’s why we don’t want them to pay us back.”

Touch Sophal, one of the six workers who was laid off, said the allegations from Tea Chhang were unfounded. “If I wanted to cheat, I wouldn’t have waited until now, because I have worked at that casino for many years,” he said.

Lim Sothet, director of the Labour Department, confirmed that he had received the complaint, adding that he planned to speak with the group and representatives from the casino this week to broker an agreement between the two sides.