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Gaming unions around the world reacted in anger after it emerged that Spanish gaming company, Codere, was in negotiations over an injection of nearly half a million Euros, that would see hedge funds own about 80 percent of the company.

UNI Global Union and Codere signed a global agreement one year ago.  UNI, the global union that represents more than 20 million workers from over 900 trade unions in the service sector, believes that it is unacceptable that a company is being controlled and suffocated by shady financial deals.

The negotiations come at a time of high tension between unions and hedge funds. Last month, Spanish unions CCOO and UGT released a statement accusing Canyon capital Finance Sarl, GSO Special Situations Fund LP and its parent company Blackstone, of illegal activities. Financial institutions and banks such as Credit Suisse, BBVA, Barclays Capital, Houston Casualty Company were also implicated.

Daniel Amoroso, UNI Gaming Global President, said: “We support the appeal made by our Spanish colleagues to the anti-corruption office. Such fraudulent deals endanger the rights of workers.

"Unfortunately, in the last few years, we have seen many similar deals meant vulture funds caused serious damage to society, increasing profits at the expense of employment. In short, these are businesses that benefit a handful of people, and hurt the rest.”

He also underlined that Codere employs around 5 thousand people in Argentina where he leads ALEARA, a union organising gaming employees.

UNI will continue supporting its affilites in their fight against the attempts of the hedge funds to take over the company.