2021-08-28
Who is catering to needs of young people in the hospitality industry?
By Dominic Firmager, Fremantle-Tangney Greens
There’s not many times for self-reflection in the world of hospitality, during the breakneck speed of shifts where even pausing to breathe is looked down as wasting time. Yet one Saturday shift on break I found myself scrolling through social media, seeing footage and pictures of Greens activism and door knocks I was unable to attend. I thought to myself, not only was I unable to spend my weekend helping out, neither would any of my co-workers be on the receiving end of any Greens doorknocking campaigner, because they work weekends, as do so many in hospitality. Not only that, but many live in shared houses, units, apartments, or other forms of housing that are often inaccessible during doorknock sessions for logistical reasons.
It struck me how big a shame this was: Greens policies would benefit the majority of young hospitality workers enormously, in an industry that has suffered under the pandemic, with many losing shifts and wages through lockdown, being forced into potentially unsafe conditions that would put them in the firing line for transmission, or even losing their place of work. An already exploitative industry has been pushed even further. The service industry remains an exploitative beast, as simple benefits such as penalty rates are stripped back under the liberal government.
And yet, in discussion with my peers, many are either ambivalent towards or unaware of Greens policies. Many try not to even consider politics, whether it’s due to apathy or distrust in the system, some simply don’t have time to sit down and study whether the policies benefit them or not. A general feeling of pessimism and distrust of governmental policy permeates the industry.
There’s an estimated 478,000 hospitality workers in Australia and the average age is only 22 years old, with 57% being under 25. How do we make them aware, how do we push and acknowledge them and recognize their struggle and how we will improve their conditions? A young group of people who are crying out for recognition and support, a group that if shown respect will respond with loyalty.
Messaging needs to be centred on ways that acknowledge their struggle and rights: a demand for penalty rates, wage increases, more secure contracts, an end of casualisation and doubling down on workers’ rights. Hospitality is a tough and unrewarding industry that churns through young people to make profits, but an emphasis on the Greens' role in improving the wellbeing of the employees will pay dividends in the young people's struggle, and they will return in kind.
I have worked with single mothers, people working multiple jobs, those supporting older family members. Like many others, I myself am juggling both full time work and uni ‒ if the Greens don’t fight for us, who will?
Header photo: Waitress at coffee shop. Wikimedia Commons
[Opinions expressed are those of the author and not official policy of Greens WA]