THE EDITOR, Madam:

Recently there have been strikes and protests by hotel workers, at least seven this year. The first at Royalton in Negril created much disruption at the resort and rocked the industry. Surprisingly, many guests who were inconvenienced at Royalton supported the workers and their plight, sharing timely updates with videos on social media. Eventually government stepped in and workers demands were met at Royalton. Workers at other resorts followed suit demanding better compensation and working conditions. Besides Royalton we’ve heard of protests at Bahia Principe, Jewel Paradise Cove, Iberostar, Breathless, Secrets and Excellence resorts.

For years the tourism industry has been booming and growing exponentially, new hotels are being built so fast that even airport facilities now burst at the seams during peak hours causing long delays and crowding. Road traffic in resort areas, especially MoBay, has been a problem for years. Foreign hotel owners are reaping huge profits, and show little or no regard to infrastructure and the economic plight of many workers who keep the resorts going. Tourism officials are quick to boast about visitor arrival numbers now nearing five million, and there is usually no mention about the workers in the industry who are underpaid with low wages and benefits, amid long work hours. Many live hand to mouth and travel far distances to get to work.

Finally workers in Jamaican resorts are standing up, and speaking out. They’ve had enough. How can we develop an industry without regards for the workers which make it happen? Many hotel investors flock to Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean due to the very low wages they can offer and high unemployment. If hotel workers received even 25 per cent of their pay in US dollars whether as a quarterly bonus or part of their weekly wage, everyone in the industry would benefit.

Foreign owners are often out of touch with reality, as long as their profits are counted as safe and secure, stashed away in overseas banks. Resorts in Jamaica offer a unique experience and I believe many surpass the quality compared with other countries; however they are also known as among the priciest. I’ve been asked several times by non Jamaican friends, ‘why are Jamaican packages so expensive’? I usually reply that it’s due to the quality of the product. However, the stories I’ve heard from workers at some hotels would make one think twice. The dedication of many who spend a lifetime working in the industry should be enough to treat them better. These places are where people choose to vacation. The last thing guests expect while on holiday is a strike.

It is simply not a good look when hotel workers at resorts strike.

P CHIN

chin_p@yahoo.com [2]