A headache prevails among the hotel staff at this time every year, as hotels proceed to partial and others to permanent closure, since their survival is also based on the income they had during the summer season and from the tourists who stayed in them. At the same time, however, their employees are in a disadvantageous position, since they will either remain unemployed for about four months until the hotel they were working in reopens, or they will stay in… wait not knowing when there will be a reopening and if they will be notified by their employer to return to their workplace.
The bitter truth besides, can be seen in the numbers of registered unemployed presented by the statistical service, since the activities of accommodation and catering services are among the sectors with the largest number of unemployed, which of course also includes hotel employees. More specifically, for October, the registered unemployed in this sector reached 1,319, while in the previous month (September), they were at 1,207. However, the number of unemployed was at the same levels during the corresponding time period, as in October 2021 the number of unemployed was 1,325. It is noted, however, that this number is expected to increase sharply for November, since even more hotels will have been booked.
In this period we are going through, as explained by G.G. of the Hotel Employees' Union, Neophytos Timini, several hotels mainly in Famagusta, some seasonal hotels in Limassol, but also other hotels in Paphos, are preparing to close. “Some have already been closed and some others will be closed in the next few days. A few hotels in Paphos and a few in Famagusta will remain open. Also, there are about eight hotels that have been closed for years in Free Famagusta that host Ukrainians, but now they will not be closed, as they are under contract until March.”
However, hotel workers are specifically divided into two categories. Employees who continue to work during the winter season and employees for whom their work is suspended and are led to unemployment benefit. “For the second category, there is insecurity and disturbance regarding unemployment and they are also worried about how timely their unemployment benefit will be paid, since it is known that every year during this period, we face the same problem with our hotel employees.”
The problematic situation that prevails, did not leave the Hotel Employees Union unmoved, with Mr. Timini explaining that the implementation of the agreement signed, for the renewal of the contract, is expected. “These days, we are studying who implemented the agreement and accordingly in the coming days we will assess the situation and proceed with our next steps in a session that will take place. After we assess and see who implemented and who did not implement the agreement and in which degree, we will act accordingly. It goes without saying that we reach out to everyone and raise the labor dispute”.
It is noted that on October 25, the Union of Hotel Employees in a meeting it held with the General Director of the Labor Office, requested expediting the payment fund and the payment of the unemployment allowance for hotel employees, since as Mr. Timinis said, the fact is known that they remain without work for four months. “We expect that the measure we requested will be implemented.”
As for the number of unemployed hotel employees, Mr. Timinis said that it is a black spot in their workplace, to separate again to blame the employees, stressing that not everyone is in the same situation. “They are the ones whose operation is suspended for one to two months and the ones that close from November to the end of March. There is partial and complete suspension of work among hotel employees and it is something that every employee should be aware of”. /b>
