beyond wages, the issue of working conditions

The first negotiation meeting on Thursday did not result in an agreement on wages in the hotel and catering industry. For the president of the UMIH union in Morbihan, remuneration is not the only lever to operate to resolve the recruitment problem in restaurants in particular.

There is a gap between what the bosses are ready to put on the table and what the hotel and restaurant workers are asking for. The former offer + 10.5% on average while the latter do not want to go below 25 to 34% of salary increases. The first day of negotiations on wages in the hotel and catering industry did not lead to an agreement. Bosses and unions must meet again on December 16.

The salary grid has become obsolete

“At some point, you have to stay reasonable”, estimates Bruno Kerdal, president of the Union of industries and professions of the hotel trade (UMIH), in Morbihan. It evokes “increases in raw materials, charges”. But yes, we have to make efforts, “we must review the salary scale which has become obsolete. If we want to hire, we cannot take this scale into account”.

The sector lacks arms, 235,000 employees have left the cafes, restaurants and hotels according to the UMIH, accentuated by the health crisis. And to attract new waiters, cooks or hotel managers. “We must make proposals to reconcile the private and professional life of our evenings. We do not have conventional schedules, from 10 am to 5 pm, with midday services and evening service”.

More and more restaurants closing on Sundays

“We can limit the work in cuts, that’s what I do in my company, from time to time give weekends to employees.” And the trend is already there. “ Many companies have to close more during the week. “We have more and more restaurants which close on Sundays because it is an argument to recruit”. Result, estimates the restaurateur “in a few years, it will be difficult to make a family meal”.

It’s up to the consumer to adapt

But it is also up to the consumer to adapt. “We are reducing the hours of service, we are closing one day in the week. We are no longer ready to accept requests from certain customers.” the second service may be suspended, probably not in summer, but “Out of season, there are things that will disappear. We have a job that is questioning itself. Things have changed.”

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