Unite the Union, Ireland Region

After meeting Economy Minister, Diane Dodds, Unite delegation calls for direct financial payments to hospitality workers as previous handouts to businesses have not been passed onto workers on reduced hours and facing redundancy

Call for ban on exploitative practices such as zero-hour contracts, fire and rehire arrangements and bosses’ opportunist reductions of contracted terms

Speaking after a meeting between a delegation of Unite hospitality workers and Economy Minister Diane Dodds, workers called for urgent intervention by the Stormont Executive to safeguard vital jobs and skills in the sector.

Matt Gill, Unite Hospitality representative, who works as a bartender commented:

“Yesterday’s meeting with Minister Diane Dodds offered us an opportunity to raise directly the concerns of workers in our sector. Covid has had a catastrophic impact on hospitality and tourism workers. The sharp increase in jobless figures in no way fully conveys what has happened: there has been a huge wave of hidden job losses and there’s very widespread underemployment across the sector. Without direct financial payments to workers, plans to further restrict opening hours will only mean even greater reductions in incomes – pushing many more into poverty.

“The handouts to bosses to date have not been passed onto hospitality workers like me. Workers faced with the insecurity of reduced hours and the decimation of their jobs, do not care whether support comes from Stormont or Westminster. We aren’t interested in excuses, we need to see urgent action. Direct financial support must be put in place for workers in this industry ahead of the ‘furlough cliff’ at the end of October. The issue of statutory sick pay needs addressed – a mere £95.85 a week leaves workers who need to self-isolate facing extreme privation as a result. We are worried about paying our mortgages or rent and our bills – these supports are too little, but it is not too late to change this.”