Jobs remain vacant despite existing demand
employment
06 Aug 2021
/ 16:55
CORFU. Catering establishments and hotels cannot find the staff they are looking for despite unemployment.
Catering establishment owners and hoteliers in Corfu are looking to hire staff, but
cannot find any. Job candidates – both unskilled and newcomers in the sector – are showing little interest despite unemployment on the island!
Catering professionals are concerned about the lack of response to job advertisements as they are left without staff in the middle of the tourist season.
“We are all looking for staff, but no one is coming to work even though the town's catering establishments are looking for permanent staff," Corfu Restaurant Association President Sakis Kostas told Enimerosi. "My business, for example, currently has 11 employees, but we still need three more people to work in service, dish washing and the buffet. Due to this lack, we are forced to open the business later and close the kitchen service earlier. This policy is followed by other businesses as well,”
According to Mr. Kostas, the preceding period with employment contract suspensions has also contributed to this situation, since they were in force for about 8 months. As a result, the €1,068 received by two members of a family (€534 each) allowed them to put some money aside and, so, they do not feel the need to work immediately.
Job vacancies
In fact, even though businesses offer permanent jobs adhering to all legal obligations (insurance stamps, holidays, allowances), jobs remain vacant.
“We have been looking for staff for more than three months, but there is no interest," says catering business owner Marios Varotsis. "While there are unskilled peopled, they do not want to work and it is a phenomenon that can be seen all over the country, especially in the catering sector. Even though we have put up a sign at the entrance with the job positions we need, they rarely come to ask. We provide a 12-month job with all the legal requirements – stamps, holidays, bonuses – but there is no interest.”
Hotels
Corfu Hoteliers' Association President Spyros Rokkas said that there is also a big problem in the hotels and especially in the kitchens, since there is a shortage mainly of chefs and waiters.
“This is a phenomenon that can be seen in all Corfu hotels and unfortunately noone is coming to ask for a job,” he said, explaining that the vast majority of hoteliers have hired all employees who had established the right to return to work.
He said that the pandemic has created many rearrangements in the workplace, whilst, since new hotel units have been established on the island, the staff has been directed there as well, resulting in a shortage of certain specialties. “As soon as the season ends, the hotel market is immediately looking for staff for the new tourist season. Efforts start in January and most hoteliers collaborate with recruitment agencies,” said Mr. Rokkas.
6,500 registered in Corfu OAED
At the same time the list of registered unemployed at Corfu OAED (Employment Office) is growing. According to Corfu OAED Director Mr. Alexakis, 6,500 people are currently registered in the local registry, 1,500 of which, however, are supply
teachers who have finished work at the end of the school year and are waiting for their re-employment in the new year, which begins in September.
The remaining 5,000, however, of various skills and qualifications remain in limbo. Even though businesses are looking for staff, surprisingly, they are not reaching out to OAED to find the skills they are interested in. “We have registered
unemployed people in the catering sector and it would be good if business owners reached out to OAED for recruitment. At the moment, we have only one hotel looking for staff via our service,” said Mr. Alexakis.
2,000 more unemployed than in 2019
Corfu Hotel Employees Union President and member of the representative majority of Corfu Labour Centre Stamatis Pelais said that there are 2,000 more unemployed people, mainly in the catering and tourism sectors - with less in hotels - than in 2019, when thenumber of registered unemployed in Corfu was 3,000 in total.
However, according to the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health, Social Welfare & Employment Kostas Zorbas, specialisation is becoming more and more necessary, in order to keep a registry from which each business will be able to find the staff it needs.
cannot find any. Job candidates – both unskilled and newcomers in the sector – are showing little interest despite unemployment on the island!
Catering professionals are concerned about the lack of response to job advertisements as they are left without staff in the middle of the tourist season.
“We are all looking for staff, but no one is coming to work even though the town's catering establishments are looking for permanent staff," Corfu Restaurant Association President Sakis Kostas told Enimerosi. "My business, for example, currently has 11 employees, but we still need three more people to work in service, dish washing and the buffet. Due to this lack, we are forced to open the business later and close the kitchen service earlier. This policy is followed by other businesses as well,”According to Mr. Kostas, the preceding period with employment contract suspensions has also contributed to this situation, since they were in force for about 8 months. As a result, the €1,068 received by two members of a family (€534 each) allowed them to put some money aside and, so, they do not feel the need to work immediately.
Job vacancies
In fact, even though businesses offer permanent jobs adhering to all legal obligations (insurance stamps, holidays, allowances), jobs remain vacant.“We have been looking for staff for more than three months, but there is no interest," says catering business owner Marios Varotsis. "While there are unskilled peopled, they do not want to work and it is a phenomenon that can be seen all over the country, especially in the catering sector. Even though we have put up a sign at the entrance with the job positions we need, they rarely come to ask. We provide a 12-month job with all the legal requirements – stamps, holidays, bonuses – but there is no interest.”
Hotels
Corfu Hoteliers' Association President Spyros Rokkas said that there is also a big problem in the hotels and especially in the kitchens, since there is a shortage mainly of chefs and waiters.
“This is a phenomenon that can be seen in all Corfu hotels and unfortunately noone is coming to ask for a job,” he said, explaining that the vast majority of hoteliers have hired all employees who had established the right to return to work.He said that the pandemic has created many rearrangements in the workplace, whilst, since new hotel units have been established on the island, the staff has been directed there as well, resulting in a shortage of certain specialties. “As soon as the season ends, the hotel market is immediately looking for staff for the new tourist season. Efforts start in January and most hoteliers collaborate with recruitment agencies,” said Mr. Rokkas.
6,500 registered in Corfu OAED
At the same time the list of registered unemployed at Corfu OAED (Employment Office) is growing. According to Corfu OAED Director Mr. Alexakis, 6,500 people are currently registered in the local registry, 1,500 of which, however, are supply
teachers who have finished work at the end of the school year and are waiting for their re-employment in the new year, which begins in September.
The remaining 5,000, however, of various skills and qualifications remain in limbo. Even though businesses are looking for staff, surprisingly, they are not reaching out to OAED to find the skills they are interested in. “We have registered
unemployed people in the catering sector and it would be good if business owners reached out to OAED for recruitment. At the moment, we have only one hotel looking for staff via our service,” said Mr. Alexakis.
2,000 more unemployed than in 2019
Corfu Hotel Employees Union President and member of the representative majority of Corfu Labour Centre Stamatis Pelais said that there are 2,000 more unemployed people, mainly in the catering and tourism sectors - with less in hotels - than in 2019, when thenumber of registered unemployed in Corfu was 3,000 in total.
However, according to the Deputy Regional Governor for Public Health, Social Welfare & Employment Kostas Zorbas, specialisation is becoming more and more necessary, in order to keep a registry from which each business will be able to find the staff it needs.
