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Low wages the norm in Algarve hotels despite higher occupancy and room rates

pestanaThe hotel workers’ trade union warned today about low pay in the sector, saying that about 60% of hotel staff and 80% of catering workers are struggling by on the minimum wage.
 
A statement from the union, denies assurances from the Association of Hoteliers of Portugal (AHP) and the Portuguese Tourism Confederation (CTP) that staff are earning more.
 
The hoteliers association said that the average salary paid in the hotel industry in 2016 was €1,035, excluding subsidies and bonuses; while the Portuguese Tourism Confederation says that salaries were between €1,000 and €1,500 - with higher pay for overnight work and at weekends.
 
The union’s retort is that, "these figures ​​have nothing to do with reality. Salaries in hospitality and catering are very low. About 80% of catering workers and
about 60% of hotel workers receive only the national minimum wage."
 
"The sector does not pay night and weekend allowances, there is only a night allowance which is paid from midnight to 07:00 in the hotel industry with a wage increase of 50%, but which covers very few workers."
 
Also, "working on Saturday and Sunday in catering and hospitality is not paid at a higher rate, although the trade union has been demanding this for years."
 
The union also says that the average monthly salary "of €632 can only be achieved if the food allowance is included, ranging from €32 to €122."
 
In order to reverse this situation, the trade union wants the Association of Hoteliers of Portugal to end its refusal to negotiate wages, which has been in place since  2009.
 
The union is not best pleased with Grupo Pestana, which "has not negotiated higher wages at Pousadas de Portugal since 2009."
 
With hotels bursting with customers last year, alongside the higher room rates achieved, the workers who keep the region hotels clean and the guests fed, appear to come out the worst off, with low wages and seasonal lay-offs.
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Comments  

0 #4 Rob gale 2018-02-22 16:20
So you want the customers to pay staff wage increases by way of tipping ,how absurd the proprietors charge high prices as it is compared to the cost of living and comparable to british prices :; the problem is the greedy proprietors dont like to pay proper rates Quoting elspeth macmillan:
Unfortunately raising the minimum wage may result in higher unemployment, because many small firms cannot pay more, and might close.
It might help if people were to tip more generously, or at all. I understand the Portuguese do not regard tipping as necessary, and many other nationalities have the same view.
-1 #3 elspeth macmillan 2018-02-22 10:43
Unfortunately raising the minimum wage may result in higher unemployment, because many small firms cannot pay more, and might close.
It might help if people were to tip more generously, or at all. I understand the Portuguese do not regard tipping as necessary, and many other nationalities have the same view.
+2 #2 Malcolm.H 2018-02-21 17:31
Any discussion of worker employment conditions and pay in the Portuguese Private sector will always bring us to the absurdity of the forthcoming Portuguese Ryanair cabin crew protests for better pay and conditions. At least someone at Ryanair will be listening ! Now consider the Portuguese business owners - no worker dare discuss improving their 'conditions' and whatever the minimum wage is, and however rich the sector, the owners will only pay that. Added employment value like up-skilling is unheard of - hence so many thousands trekking to the UK to get up-skilled with certificates to bring back to Portugal. Hoping for promotion and better pay and 'conditions'.
+3 #1 Richard 2 2018-02-21 10:37
The minimum wage in Portugal is 7800€ per year; 650€ per month based on common calculations or 557€ per month based on the Portuguese norm of 14 payments per year. As most jobs in the hotel and restaurant sectors are minimum wage, the only way to improve the living conditions of these workers is to raise the minimum wage.

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