Workers decry ‘modern-day slavery set up’

Many workers in Jamaica’s tourism sector are lashing out about poor pay, lack of adequate benefits, uncaring operators and what they call “a modern-day slavery set up.”

Their plight has been taken up by the National Workers Union (NWU) who say the situation is intolerable and that the Ministry of Tourism is not prepared to do anything about this, choosing instead to focus on bringing more tourists and revenue.

The NWU put out a statement where its Acting President Khurt Fletcher notes, “The rights of workers in the sector have become marginalized and worker protection has become non-existent.”

Hotel workers in Montego Bay told Our Today that many of them have had to take substantial pay cuts during this COVID period and with the sector looking to capitalise on growing occupancy figures, are being asked to do more.

“Back in time, our people had to work in poor conditions on the plantations and that was our lot. We had no say and there was no one to represent our interests. The only difference today is that we work for a pittance in hotels. It’s a new century but not a lot has changed for Jamaicans other than legally we are no longer classified as chattel,” declared disgruntled workers at a prominent hotel chain.

“Bartlett and the hotel bosses don’t care about us. They care more about the tourists than Jamaicans,” they additionally disclosed.

This echoes the sentiments of the NWU in its statement which continues: “We must never forget that during this pandemic many workers have had to make unbelievable sacrifices while still showing up and giving of their best. Many have experienced layoffs, reduced salaries, redundancies and all have experienced [the] increased cost of living on a depreciating salary. Many of them will not return to normalcy any time soon, as it relates to the salary levels at which they were contractually engaged.”

Many of the hotels will be reluctant to take this on, viewing it as a public relations nightmare. They may even fear further antagonising workers.

But the fact remains that the hotels have had to operate at a substantial loss since March 2020 and cannot afford to keep staffing levels at pre-COVID levels. They have to call upon and rely on the goodwill of their workers to keep the business going and look to the bounce in occupancy rates.

It calls for all hands rowing in the lifeboats.

Fletcher and the NWU don’t see it that way. All they see is the exploitation of workers and unfair demands made of them.

“We have seen where workers are being asked to work long hours for less pay and no benefits. They do not get extra pay for the additional work being done neither do they get full pay for the work they are contracted to do. This is leading to and has led to burn out of the workers both physically and mentally,” part of the statement read.

The COVID pandemic has served to further highlight that the tourism sector is a low-paying, long working hours industry where workers toil for many years and get nowhere. The majority of the jobs sees their workers living on a subsistence. There is little remuneratory reward for their efforts.

Question is, can you build an economy on this model and is this the kind of future citizens should expect?

It is a question the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has considered and would like to see some changes.

In its “Towards a sustainable recovery in employment in the tourism sector in Latin America and the Caribbean,” document, the ILO draws attention to the need to create policies that promote economies in the region recovering with productive employment and ensuring decent working conditions for workers in the tourism sector.

The ILO believes that hoteliers and governments must squarely face the challenges of informality, underemployment, career advancement and importantly low income. There has to be a stronger voice for tourism workers.

Are the best years of your life going to be all about serving tourists a daiquiri with a fancy umbrella with no prospect of advancement? Is this what Jamaican youth are in store for by 2030 and beyond?

ILO Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Vinicius Pinheiro advocates for something different saying: “ It is essential that the recovery policies for the sector contribute to improving the quality of jobs and stimulate the formalization of the labour market. Supporting micro and small businesses is also crucial for the benefit of tourism to favour local development.”

The ILO’s technical note on the study document makes clear that  Caribbean tourism is a low-paying sector and the income of tourism workers represents on average 75 per cent of the income of all persons employed.

Looking more closely at Jamaica,  the NWU maintains that the condition of Jamaican tourism workers is going ignored at the expense of flying in more tourists during COVID. That’s not to say it doesn’t see the importance of the business imperative.

“The NWU understands the need to focus on improving hotel occupancy and the business side of things, however, it cannot be to the detriment of the human capital, of which the sector can be nothing without.”

The Montego Bay hotel workers who spoke with Our Today, bemoaned that Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett is impervious to their plight and spends an inordinate amount of time proclaiming escalating revenues and arrivals.

Gathered outside Secrets Wild Orchid with other low-paid workers, Jovan Blake, a concierge employee at a nearby hotel said, “Have you listened to Bartlett? When has he ever talked about our conditions and the poor wages we have to live on? When has he made an effort to make our lives better? It‘s a big deal to him that Jamaica brings in US$1.5 billion and one million visitors by August. Big talk but what about the workers.? We do the work and suffer earning pennies, but no one cares.  He must know that the figures he boasts about comes from Jamaicans working above what is reasonable with little benefits and for cane-cutter wages. What does he propose to do about that?” 

The Minister of Tourism has said that tourism employee wages are determined by market conditions and that the pandemic has seen less visitors spelling less money for the hotels.