The recent changes in the employment process of political asylum seekers, which have been significantly accelerated following a relevant decree issued by the Minister of Labor, do not seem to have solved, at least so far, the problem of finding human resources faced by dozens of companies.
Yesterday, during a discussion in the Energy, Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of the Parliament, the General Manager of STEK Chrysaimili Psilogeni even described the lack of staff as the number one problem currently facing the hotel and the wider tourism industry, warning that if not , of the year, when the prospects are even better for tourism, we will not be able to serve visitors. The problem of the lack of sufficient staff was the topic of discussion yesterday of the Minister of Labor's meeting with CCCI executives.
Ms. Psilogeni also said yesterday in Parliament that the problem is timeless, but exacerbated by the pandemic, especially in auxiliary professions in the hotel industry, as many community members left, while due to the long period when hotels were closed, several other employees decided to engage in other fields and professions. Without a solution to the problem, said Ms. Psilogeni, the new year will be even more difficult, while we will not be able, he said, to talk about quality in the services offered, which is the requirement of the National Strategy for Tourism.
In this context, the g.d. of STEK stressed the need to accelerate the dialogue within the Labor Advisory Board, regarding the revision of the employment strategy of foreigners from third countries. This change, he said, must be made quickly, as five to six months of training of new staff will be required. Wanting to prevent reactions, he said, the problem is not due to hotel salaries, which he described as decent, adding that the industry now, with the agreement of the social partners, applies minimum wages for a number of professions. hotel industry.
"Solution contracts"
The reports, however, of the g.d. of STEK provoked reactions, since the secretary general of the hotel staff union of SEK -UXEKA-SEK- Miltiadis Miltiadous, although he acknowledged the problem, blamed the hoteliers themselves. He even wondered why one should go to work in hotels today, due to the seasonality of the profession, but also when, as he claimed, what is agreed does not apply. Mr. Miltiadous also stated that the Cypriots and the community did not leave because of the pandemic but because they could not cope and live, adding that the minimum wages were necessarily agreed, because the collective agreements were not observed. Laws, he said, are made to protect employees where there are no collective agreements, further stating that legislation and minimum wages are unnecessary where contracts apply.
Mr. Miltiadous acknowledged, however, that a number of hotels would need to employ foreign workers, saying the trade union movement would not object to employing foreigners "in the right hoteliers". Otherwise, if everyone is entitled to foreigners, he noted, the problem will not be addressed but will grow.
To deal with it, said the secretary general. UXEKA-SEC, the solution is one: "To respect their staff and to implement the collective agreements". When this happens, Mr. Miltiadous estimated, staff will be found and the Cypriots will return to the industry.
The CCCI also demands an urgent policy change for foreign workers
In his own intervention, however, at yesterday's meeting of the competent parliamentary committee, the g.d. of PASYXE Filokypros Rousounidis stated that the hoteliers apply the contracts and that what was agreed in 2019 for minimum wages was done when the tourist year recorded a record.
The problem of lack of staff was also acknowledged by the chairman of the Energy Committee, DISY MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, who argued that if we had more tourists this year we would not be able to serve them. For his part, the president of DISY, Averof Neophytou, in the context of a working breakfast with EBE Nicosia, characterized the lack of manpower as the number 1 problem of the economy today.
The intense problem of the lack of staff that employs the entire business world was raised yesterday before the Minister of Labor by a delegation of the CCCI, proposing specific measures, in the context of changing the employment strategy of foreigners, which is being discussed in the Labor Advisory Body. Change, which according to the Chamber is now required. According to the CCCI, there is still a great shortage of manpower in all areas of economic activity and in professions such as production workers, unskilled workers, shift workers, porters, cleaners, kitchen assistants, bankers, waitresses. In view of the above, he called for the final modification of the strategy and criteria for the employment of foreign workers, equal treatment between companies, whether they implement a collective agreement through unions or not, the completion of employment processes in a short time not exceeding 4 weeks , to employ foreign students in all professions and to issue licenses based on the needs of companies, with a minimum of 35% of the total number of staff.
philenews.com
