By Yusufu Sesay
Members of the Hotel and Catering Entertainment Trade Group Council yesterday Monday 31st October, 2022 signed a new reviewed agreement at the Prestigious Country Lodge Hotel at Hill Station, Freetown, to improve terms and conditions of service for implementation therein will take effect from today Tuesday 1st November, 2022.
The minimum wage agreed for hospitability staff in the sector was Le660,000.00, which is slightly above the Government Minimum Wage apart from other emoluments.
Speaking at the signing of the agreement, Chairman of Hotel and Entertainment Trade Group, Albert Ojo Collier, underscored the importance of the agreement, saying it caters for better terms and conditions of service for the workers, as well as protects businesses in the tourism industry. Mr. Collier said the employers and the union are very happy for the new collective agreement which he said did not breach any labour laws.
According to him, the last agreement between the union and employers was signed in 2015, but said the new agreement has made provisions for a review in every three years.
The General Secretary of the Hotel, Food, Drinks and Entertainment Workers Union, Nellista Stack- Davies, expressed gratitude to the employers for accepting the increases made to the staff, considering the state of the economy in the country. She disclosed that the agreement process started since March, 2022 and that the employers and staff should be grateful to the union.
Madam Stack-Davies expressed optimism that the spirit of unity would continue between the union and employers. She further prayed that things would get better for the employers so that their staff would get the benefits they deserved.
The President of Sierra Leone Hospitality and Tourism Association, John Shallop, expressed happiness for the new agreement and thanked the union for the interests of both the employers and the employees. He however lamented that the hospitability industry employers and staff always suffer the most whenever there is world crisis, such as the outbreak of pandemic or epidemic. According to him, “I don’t think the union has left out anything in the agreement as it contains all aspects of staff welfare in the industry. ”The President called on members of the union to apply routine staff training in a bid to ensure improved services and professionalism.
Acting Director in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Abdulai Conteh, said he had been au fait with the numerous challenges in the industry over the last few years. He pointed out that a happy workforce is professional and dedicated workforce. Mr. Conteh disclosed that the Government was working to review the labour laws so that a new minimum wage would be set across all sectors in the country. He therefore called on the employers to cascade the information to their colleagues in the industry to ensure that the collective agreement is effectively implemented.
National Tourist Board Chairman, Alieu Kokobaye, revealed that collective agreement has always been the backbone of the operations within the hospitality industry. He therefore commended the union for the collective agreement which is geared towards ensuing a happy workforce as every staff in the industry is very important in enhancing the growth of the business.
