Treat hospitality workers with proper respect - Lorna Slater

Many of us will be looking forward to the return of the Fringe next month. Over 460 shows have been announced, with more to come.

Lorna Slater , Green MSP for Lothian

It won’t be as big as previous years, but, even with a pared down programme, it will bring thousands of people to our city.

One group who must not be forgotten are the hospitality workers who are staffing the restaurants, bars and venues that are hosting the shows. They will face an even harder job than usual and need to be supported as they do it.

Even prior to the pandemic, hospitality had endemic problems of low pay, insecure conditions and bullying, with some of the biggest companies being among the worst offenders.

Over the last 15 months many workers have had their livelihoods put on hold. Large numbers have spent much of the pandemic on furlough while others have faced reduced hours and an erosion of pay and conditions.

Last Sunday saw a concerning report from the Unite union, which warned of a “sharp increase of verbal and physical abuse from customers.” The union, which I am a member of, rightly called for better protections for workers, including extra security for busy venues, greater liability for how staff are treated and proactive anti-sexual harassment policies.

None of these changes should be controversial, but they will be fought. That’s why governments must ensure that these are rules that have to be followed, rather than leaving it to the same self-regulation that has failed in the past.

Many of the people staffing our pubs and restaurants are the same young people who have been disproportionately hit by the pandemic in terms of their job prospects, income and mental wellbeing. Despite the excellent NHS- rollout, they are also the ones who are least likely to have been vaccinated against Covid.

A Resolution Foundation study found that at the end of May, 18-24 year olds were 2.5 times more likely than any other age group to have been out of work or still on furlough, and far more likely to be concerned about their mental health. Another study found 73% of hospitality workers have experienced poor mental health over the last year.

We cannot let a generation of young people and hospitality workers bear the long-term scars of this pandemic. Behind every one of these statistics are real people, many with financial responsibilities and families to support.

Our recovery must offer a better deal for the industry. That means extra investment in retraining and mental health services, as well as long-term plans to improve incomes and job stability.

For far too long, hospitality workers have had to endure conditions and anxiety that would be unacceptable in other industries. We need to ensure that lessons are learned from the last 15 months and that we don’t return to business as usual. If this is to be a fair recovery then it can’t be one that leaves low paid workers behind.

If you are booking Fringe tickets, then I hope that you enjoy the show and everything that Edinburgh has to offer. But, while you are there, make sure that you think about the staff in your venues. Support your waiters, bartenders and other workers. Follow social distancing rules and treating them as you would want to be treated at work.

Lorna Slater is a Green MSP for Lothian