Hospitality in Spain's Canary Islands short of weekend staff
A Canary Islands restauranter says young people refuse to work weekends. The industry blames staff shortages; workers point to low wages.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Weekends without waiters: the clash between hospitality and work
The Canary Islands have Spain's highest unemployment rate and, at the same time, the greatest difficulty filling waiter shifts. The contradiction has been laid bare by a restaurateur, Santiago, in remarks reported by Mundo Deportivo: "Canarians don't want to work weekends, they think the wages are low and would rather enjoy themselves than work." The industry reports a shortage of staff, both waiters and cooks.
Wages as the explanation
The employer's complaint clashes with another reading. Some argue the problem is not attitude but conditions. Job ads are cited that demand a degree, a master's and languages to pay 1,200 euros a month. In that context, "minimum wage" translates into "minimum effort". It is not a phenomenon unique to the Canary Islands: the youngest generation, also in countries like Switzerland, is said to have learned that meritocracy does not always pay off and that free time is worth more than a permanent contract.
A paradox with more unemployment
The figure is baffling: the region with the country's highest unemployment cannot find staff for the hospitality sector. Explanations range from a preference for comfortable jobs in the public administration to a refusal to work weekend shifts. Meanwhile, the restaurateur keeps looking for waiters and cooks. How much is a matter of attitude, and how much of wages?
The Canary Islands have Spain's highest unemployment rate and, at the same time, the greatest difficulty filling waiter shifts. The contradiction has been laid bare by a restaurateur, Santiago, in remarks reported by Mundo Deportivo: "Canarians don't want to work weekends, they think the wages are low and would rather enjoy themselves than work." The industry reports a shortage of staff, both waiters and cooks.
Wages as the explanation
The employer's complaint clashes with another reading. Some argue the problem is not attitude but conditions. Job ads are cited that demand a degree, a master's and languages to pay 1,200 euros a month. In that context, "minimum wage" translates into "minimum effort". It is not a phenomenon unique to the Canary Islands: the youngest generation, also in countries like Switzerland, is said to have learned that meritocracy does not always pay off and that free time is worth more than a permanent contract.
A paradox with more unemployment
The figure is baffling: the region with the country's highest unemployment cannot find staff for the hospitality sector. Explanations range from a preference for comfortable jobs in the public administration to a refusal to work weekend shifts. Meanwhile, the restaurateur keeps looking for waiters and cooks. How much is a matter of attitude, and how much of wages?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (42 replies).
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