The hospitality industry in the city has rubbished claims by a Galway senator of “widespread abuse” of conditions, payments and rights for younger and non-national workers.
Sinn Féin’s Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has claimed workers’ rights are being undermined – wages are being withheld; tips are not being distributed properly; they are being verbally abused by management and there are no proper breaks. He added that if a complaint is made, workers are sacked.
However, the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) and the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) have both refuted the allegations, branding them “without foundation”, encouraging employees to make a complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission if they have a grievance.
Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the RAI said: “Tell us who they are and we will name them and shame them. I have no problem doing that. I’m in Romania at the moment trying to recruit staff because of a shortage in Ireland. The last thing I want is an employer abusing staff back home and creating the wrong impression.”
Senator Ó Clochartaigh said this week: “It is totally unacceptable that ruthless employers would flagrantly abuse employment law in the way that they are and that a culture of fear is being created to discourage employees from reporting this type of conduct to the relevant authorities, which I firmly believe is the case.
“There are reports of people not getting proper breaks, the withholding of wages, tips not being distributed properly to staff, people on fixed sums being made to work hours over and above those agreed and threats of hours being reduced, or people being sacked if a staff member complains about the conditions.
“I have been told of widespread abuse happening in the hospitality sector in Galway,” he said.“It is quite clear that young people and non-nationals bear the brunt of a lot of the unacceptable treatment, but behaviour of this type in relation to any staff member is simply not good enough.
“I would urge workers who are being abused in their workplace to come forward to the relevant authorities, or to elected representatives to get advice on how this should be tackled,” said Senator Ó Clochartaigh.
In statements to the Galway City Tribune, the IHF and RAI organisations both rubbished the allegations.
RAI Chief Executive Adrian Cummins said: “The RAI totally refute the issues raised by Senator Ó Clochartaigh. Under Irish Law any employee has the right to raise concerns with Workplace Relations which provides information on industrial relations and rights and obligations under Irish employment and equality legislation. I would advise any employee to take this route if they have any concern.
“Over the last five years, not one member of the RAI has been found guilty of any of the allegations that Senator Ó Clochartaigh has raised. I would be delighted to find out what employers Senator Ó Clochartaigh is referring to.”
The IHF said it “refutes these assertions entirely”.
“Irish hotels have a well-earned reputation for excellence as employers and are committed to the highest standards in looking after their employees.
“People working in Irish hotels are among the most highly protected workers in Europe, and this applies equally to all workers regardless of age or nationality.”
For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.