Monday, July 23, 2018
Scottish Island, Skye’s tourism is booming but the hotel workers have complained of being underpaid, denied holidays and given substandard accommodation.
The trade union officials say they have been contacted by hotel staff who report being dismissed from their jobs for complaining about low wages, poor food and dismal accommodation.
The Citizens Advice Bureau for Skye and Lochalsh, which advises local people on welfare, housing and employment rights, said it gets hundreds of complaints each year from seasonal workers about low pay, overwork and lack of contracts.
Most of the local hoteliers reject claims there is a significant problem on Skye, but the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), the trade union umbrella group, believes seasonal workers are at greater risk of exploitation as hotels and restaurants struggle to cope with record levels of demand from visitors.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has investigated specific cases on the island as part of its “Better than Zero” campaign on workers’ rights, says the grievances of seasonal workers are being hidden in the debate over chronic overcrowding at Skye’s famous beauty spots and whether its hotels and B&Bs are now full.
Dave Moxham, the STUC’s deputy general secretary, said these cases suggested the controversy over exploitation in the gig economy and zero-hours contracts affected hospitality and tourism, too.
A significant number of seasonal workers are outsiders, including Australians, Latvians, Poles, Germans and lowland Scots, whose accommodation is tied to their jobs, the STUC said.
This Scottish Island has become one of the most sought-after destinations for overseas visitors, particularly Americans, drawn there by heavy promotion by Scottish tourism and government enterprise agencies, and by popular TV epics such as Outlander, car adverts and pop videos.
The Office for National Statistics released that overall visitor numbers to Scotland jumped by 16.9% last year, to 3.2 million people, while their spending surged by 23%, to £2.3bn.
