Hospitality Association of the Algarve union management are to join with hotel workers in front of the Hotel Crown Plaza in Vilamoura on Monday, February 10th to demand payment of staff Christmas bonuses from 2013 and a 3% increase in wages as they have not had a pay rose for several years.
The hotel management has steadfastly refused to pay up claiming lack of cash and the workers are taking this step as a last resort in a pay dispute that has seen many top class hotels in the Algarve withold payment for work done despite good trading figures.
"At issue also is the fulfillment of the collective labour agreement, including the payment for additional work done on weekdays, days off and on public holidays," says the union.
According to a union spokesman, whose politics may veer a little to the left, "companies, backed by the right-wing policies of the government have agreed these measures with the foreign Troika and are pursuing a strategy to reduce wages, while the hospitality industry data shows an increase in occupancy and in revenues."
There has been no comment over this nor any other dispute from the hotels association boss Elidérico Viegas who said of his hotelier members back in January, “The average occupancy rate per room in December 2013 was 26.1% representing an increase of 4% compared to 2012 and cash turnover increased 2.2%,” adding "This trend of 4% to 5% growth which we saw through 2013 gives us hope for growth in 2014."
If there is money there to pay the workers then they should be paid. If there is no money then the hotels are trading as insolvent and should take appropriate measures to rectify their situations.
Bookings at the Crown Plaza hotel may suffer this year if the hotel management is seen as unable to pay its bills. Tourists may consider that deposits for holidays are not such a good idea at the Hotel Crown Plaza and should this type of dispute be picked up on travel and social media the hotel management's struggle for cash will only get worse.
