With a strike and a rally, the workers at Hotel Bernardin expressed their disapproval of the redeployment of cleaners and maids to an external contractor. The contract on this has already been signed, so redeployment will take place anyway. The plan is therefore to intensify the strike.
The strike, announced by the Sava Tourism Trade Union, began at 10 a.m. at the employer’s premises, and the workers then went to the promenade under the Hotel Histrion in Bernardino. With the warning strike, which will last until 2 p.m., they want to achieve the elimination of wage disparities, the immediate harmonization of basic wages with last year’s inflation (10.3 percent), the conclusion of an annex to the enterprise collective agreement, and the raising of the reimbursement of transportation costs to work to 21 cents per kilometer and full salary compensation for the duration of the strike. However, they are most strongly opposed to the planned transfer of the jobs of maids to the external contractor Aktiva cleaning, as, in their words, this would represent a harmful practice that affects the social and material situation of the workers.
As journalist Elen Batista Štader reported for Television Slovenia, the redundancies on Wednesday will happen in any case, regardless of the strike and protest. “Regarding outsourcing, I want to emphasize that the contract with the contractor has already been signed, that the safety of all employees is taken care of, that all employees will continue to have concluded contracts for an indefinite period,” jsaid a representative of Sava Tourism Igor Skrinjar. He also explained that the trade union and the workers had met in negotiations, but without success, as the trade union’s main demand was the cancellation of the redeployment of workers to an external contractor. At the same time, Sava Turizem emphasized that the striking workers will in any case stay and continue to work in this hotel, only under a different employer. The management of Sava Turizm also insists that they strictly comply with the law, and they attribute the transfer of employees to the seasonality of the company, among other things.
The maids warn that they feel betrayed and humiliated. “It is difficult, the girls are very disappointed, desperate, some even to the point that they will need medical help,” one of the maids commented on the events for Television Slovenia Jelica Pinterič. The plan is also to intensify the strike, but when and in what way is not yet clear. The efforts of the Bernardin Hotel employees were also supported by representatives of many other trade unions and also part of the civil society. The Minister of Economy also responded in writing Matjaž Hanwho supported the strike.
The fight against overemployment also during coalition commitments
The Trade Union of Sava Tourism also expects action from the government, as Sava Turizem, under whose auspices the Bernardin Hotels fall, is owned by the Sava company, 90% of which is owned by the state through the Slovenian State Holding and Kapitalska družba. “The state stated in the coalition agreement that it will fight against outsourcing in the public sector. I would expect it to have the same standards and criteria for companies where it has a majority stake,” he said for Televizija Slovenija Andrej Zorko from the Association of Free Trade Unions of Slovenia.
The efforts of the Trade Union of Hospitality and Tourism Workers of Slovenia were also supported by the Ministry of Labour, the minister Port Moon at the same time, he also announced the possibility of legislative changes that would make it more difficult to outsource services. “On the one hand, we have bad experiences with companies that provide these services, and on the other hand, it is also difficult to organize workers in these companies. With the coalition agreement, we committed ourselves that the state will be the example that will prevent precariousness or forms of externalization of the employment relationship ,” explained the secretary at the ministry Dan Juvan.
Journalists’ unions also supported the strike
The strike of Sava Turizm employees was supported by the Journalists’ Union of Slovenia and the Coordination of Journalists’ Unions of RTV Slovenia. They also support the request of the hospitality and tourism workers’ union for collective negotiations to meet the strike demands.
“We oppose the outsourcing of employees in both state and public companies, as we have already experienced in the media, including public ones, how the lowering of labor costs and the “outsourcing” of certain services and activities – it started with the lowest-paid cleaners – push workers into precariousness. , precarious work relationships with lower wages, no rights, long and exploitative working days,” they wrote.
They added that journalist unions oppose discrimination in the labor market and support the right of workers to strike, to dignity, safe working conditions and decent pay. At the same time, they call on the government and competent ministries to fulfill the commitment from the coalition agreement regarding the elimination of outsourcing and precarious work and to protect the rights of male and female workers.
Source: Rtvslo
