Concern over impact of Covid-19 measures on hospitality workers
catering and other foodservice activities, beverage serving activities.
Withmanyhospitalitybusinesses forced to close during the coronavirus pandemic, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has put in place multi-billionpound measures that aim to safeguard jobs.
But Unite has warned that some companies are still choosing to lay staff off.
Its national officer for hospitality, Dave Turnbull, said: “These figures show just how many people rely on the hospitality industry for employment, and the severity of the dangers the coronavirus crisis poses to their livelihoods and the health of local economies in general.”
Hewarnedthatmanyworkers in the sector are “never more than a pay cheque away from the breadline” and the union was already coming across examples of businesses that had decided to lay staff off rather than place them on furlough under the Government’sscheme.“Thereisnoexcuse
for companies not to join theschemeandsoprotecttheir workforces,” he added.
“For bosses that don’t rehire fired staff or refuse to sign uptothejobretentionscheme, Unite’s message is clear – we will expose you, we challenge your behaviour and we will take legal action for unfair dismissals.”
The Government’s package of support for the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors in England also includes a business rates holiday.
Hospitality trade association UKHospitality is among the other organisations that have urged employers to signuptothewagesupportscheme.
Its chief executive, Kate Nicholls, said: “Not only will it safeguard jobs, it will also put the sector in a much stronger position to help rebuild the economy after the crisis has passed.”