"We΄re fighting for our life and our bread and butter" - Tourism sector employees demonstrate
tourism
15 May 2020
/ 13:14
CORFU. Employees in the tourism sector in Corfu, anxious about the future of their jobs, demonstrated today, Friday 15th, outside the Old Regional Building.
A large number of hotel workers and other employees in the tourism sector in Corfu demonstrated in the centre of Corfu Town shouting: ""We're fighting for our life and our bread and butter"
The 'next day' after the coronavirus pandemic seems bleak for those working in the major industry of tourism in Corfu. They have presented a series of demands including their re-employment and the right to unemployment benefit.
The demands:
1. All seasonal workers and those with flexible work relations to be re-employed at the latest by the dates agreed on in the collective agreements for each area.
2. Collective Labour Agreements for those employed in catering establishments to be mandatory.
3. Adherence to the terms of sector collective labour agreements to be guaranteed in tourism and catering without any unilateral intervention in labour relations and no adverse changes to pay and insurance rights.
4. If seasonal hotels and catering establishments remain temporarily closed by government decision after the deadlines for re-employment, all workers, seasonal and with flexible contracts, to be included in the programme of support and receive the pay agreed upon in the collective labour agreements until the businesses open. All insurance contributions to be paid by the state.
5. All businesses which don't open by their own decision to be obliged to cover the pay and insurance contributions of all workers for the whole period that they would have been open, based on last year.
6. Unemployment benefit of 600 Euros to be paid up until the deadline for re-employment for all those that worked last season regardless of whether they have been receiving unemployment benefit.
7. The measures for rent reduction, suspension of loan repayments and tax installments to apply to everyone. All auctions and property seizures to cease immediately and no electricty, water, mobile and landline phones to be cut off.
8. Insurance and unemployment benefit to be guaranteed for all workers and their families for 2021 regardless of whether they have accrued the required number of work days. They must receive unemployment benefit from the last day of work this season until the first day in 2021.
9. Measures to be taken to protect the health of tourism workers. Additional people to be employed to ensure adherence to the measures.
Photos / videos: Enimerosi
The 'next day' after the coronavirus pandemic seems bleak for those working in the major industry of tourism in Corfu. They have presented a series of demands including their re-employment and the right to unemployment benefit.
The demands:
1. All seasonal workers and those with flexible work relations to be re-employed at the latest by the dates agreed on in the collective agreements for each area.
2. Collective Labour Agreements for those employed in catering establishments to be mandatory.
3. Adherence to the terms of sector collective labour agreements to be guaranteed in tourism and catering without any unilateral intervention in labour relations and no adverse changes to pay and insurance rights.
4. If seasonal hotels and catering establishments remain temporarily closed by government decision after the deadlines for re-employment, all workers, seasonal and with flexible contracts, to be included in the programme of support and receive the pay agreed upon in the collective labour agreements until the businesses open. All insurance contributions to be paid by the state.
5. All businesses which don't open by their own decision to be obliged to cover the pay and insurance contributions of all workers for the whole period that they would have been open, based on last year.
6. Unemployment benefit of 600 Euros to be paid up until the deadline for re-employment for all those that worked last season regardless of whether they have been receiving unemployment benefit.
7. The measures for rent reduction, suspension of loan repayments and tax installments to apply to everyone. All auctions and property seizures to cease immediately and no electricty, water, mobile and landline phones to be cut off.
8. Insurance and unemployment benefit to be guaranteed for all workers and their families for 2021 regardless of whether they have accrued the required number of work days. They must receive unemployment benefit from the last day of work this season until the first day in 2021.
9. Measures to be taken to protect the health of tourism workers. Additional people to be employed to ensure adherence to the measures.
Photos / videos: Enimerosi
