[Christmas Market Road] High unemployed catering unemployment middle-aged woman helpless to switch to the union is expected to close after the New Year

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Written by: Huang Yongyu

2019-12-23 11:00

The anti-revision storm continued, and the catering industry has been greatly affected in the past six months. In addition to the sharp decline in business turnover, the unemployment rate also rose to 6.2%, an 8-year high. Ms. Xie used to work at a tea restaurant in Causeway Bay for more than ten years, but the restaurant closed in October. When people become unemployed at middle age, it is not easy to work as a migrant worker. They often eat "closed door", so they have to enroll in a security course and try to change careers.

Guo Hongxing, chairman of the Catering Staff Union, said that in the past six months, there were nearly 50 restaurants and restaurant owners who were "walkers". About 1,000 employees were owed wages, involving about 12 million yuan. He confessed that a "tide of closing" is expected after the New Year, and about 1,000 restaurants are expected to close.

"I've heard that many people around me take unpaid leave and even make employees considerate."

According to the latest figures released by the Census and Statistics Department, the unemployment rate in November rose to 3.2%, and the unemployment rate in the food service industry rose to 6.2%. Among the unemployed is Ms. Xie, who has worked in a tea restaurant in Causeway Bay for more than ten years. She has been in charge of floor work for a monthly salary of 16,000 yuan. However, the restaurant closed in October due to operating difficulties. She said helplessly, since June, the restaurant ’s average monthly business volume has fallen by 30%. By August, the situation was even more severe, and the business was once less than 30% in the previous period.

Looking at the entire catering industry, she bluntly said, "Even if it is not yet closed, it is difficult. I have heard that many people around me will take unpaid leave, or even make employees considerate. For a period of time, we need to reduce 5% labor."

The old proprietor followed the labor laws, and more than 20 people in the store took enough severance pay to leave. "Tell me how to return (restaurant), and then ask me to do it, but I can only see that I have reached the future." . Nearly middle-aged people are unemployed. It is not easy to get a new job. I have tried to switch to the retail industry, but I often eat "closed door". "I have seen a few jobs in the past. They are all called low phone calls. , Please give birth later. "

Ms. Xie confessed that she had tried to apply for jobs in the retail and catering industries, but all of them "ginkgo." (Photo by Huang Yongyu)

Hope that the new year can successfully switch to security

The government launched the fourth round of relief measures in early December. It will entrust the Employees Retraining Board to launch the "Special Love Added Value" subsidy, which will increase from 4,000 yuan to 5800 yuan, and increase the choice of courses, hoping to help the unemployed. Seeing the difficulty in finding a job, Xie simply enrolled in a security course, hoping to take advantage of it. However, she believes that the allowance is too low, and the average daily rate is only more than 100 yuan. "It's greedy, but you can buy meals outside of the car money." The new year is approaching. She confesses that she hopes to complete the course as soon as possible. Successfully transferred to security.

Entrusted by the government, the Employees Retraining Board launched the "Special Value Added Program" in October this year for people who are unemployed, on unpaid leave or underemployed on or after June 1 to help them upgrade their skills and self-value-added To re-enter the workplace as soon as possible. The Administrator stated that as of December 15, more than 5,200 people had submitted course applications, and more than 90% of the applicants were enrolled in "vocational skills" courses, which mainly included diet, health care, Chinese medicine health care, home services, and property management. And security industries.

Ms. Xie originally planned to enroll in medical support staff, but due to lack of education, she could only enroll in security courses. (Photo by Huang Yongyu)

About 1,000 restaurants to close after Chinese New Year

Guo Hongxing, Chairman of the Catering Industry Workers' Federation, pointed out that in the past six months, the union has received a number of workers for help. Due to anti-revision regulations, there are nearly 50 restaurants and restaurant owners who are "walkers". Thousands of people. For the next few months, he believes that the industry will "weak the weak and stay strong", and the unemployment rate will rise further. He confessed that the industry is generally still in a wait-and-see attitude, "because I don't know the waypoints in the future", it is expected that there will be a "closing tide" after the New Year, and about 1,000 restaurants will close.

Regarding the government's rescue measures, he considered "there is better than nothing", but emphasized that the attendance rate was 80%. "If there are casual workers, can you do some calculations, and then you can read them in vain?" Unemployment assistance is just a one-and-a-half solution. "Workers' deepest desire is to start a job and social events can be calmed down."

Unemployment in the food service activities industry rose to 6.2%, an eight-year high. (Profile picture)

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