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Poor working conditions? This happens all the time in the hospitality industry. But the case of a restaurateur in the Bernese Oberland leaves unionists speechless. Unia brings out the big guns on Friday morning. The union held a media conference in Interlaken BE, within walking distance of the affected restaurant. This excitement brings news agencies and TV channels to the scene, because in the presence of Unia, former employees of the company were supposed to make their complaints public.
They did this, but those affected did not want to be in the photo and their name. “Because they are afraid of their former employers,” say unionists, and they want the names of those affected to remain secret. «Fees were paid at the end of each month. Sometimes just a portion, sometimes in cash. “I’m still waiting for last month’s pay,” complains former kitchen worker Mario P.*. “We are still waiting for our October salaries,” says another.
“I was threatened because I was not allowed to speak publicly about this issue. But as employees, we cannot remain silent when we are treated so badly,” says Miroslava N.*, who works as a service specialist at the restaurant. Unia’s statement to the media says: “The working conditions at Interlaken Ristorante Vacanze Romane are frightening.”
Systematic violations
According to the union, the long list of grievances includes: unregistered working hours, missing wages and timesheets, and mandatory rest days not observed. “Many employees are waiting for weeks or months for their salaries, which are paid late, in installments and in cash.” It was also decided that many employees would be unfairly dismissed without notice.
According to the union, the violations are not random but “systematic”. “The owner of Ristorante Vacanze Romane has filed for bankruptcy for four different restaurants in recent years,” Unia writes in its statement. According to Unia regional secretary Giuseppe Reo, conditions in the catering industry are shocking. There is a risk that injured employees will be left empty-handed in the event of another bankruptcy.
Rea: “We demand payment of outstanding wages within a week. “The restaurant also needs to immediately set up a time tracking system so that employees can check at any time what they are entitled to for their work,” he also cites violations of the state collective bargaining agreement (L-GAV) for the hospitality industry.
Blick also wanted to hear the perspective of the reported restaurateur. What will Unia have to say about the allegations made by former employees in its announcement? Be quiet. No explanation. The restaurant business has not yet responded to the request. The presumption of innocence applies, especially if the union or former employees do not file a complaint.
*Name changed
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
