Fair Hotels initiative - a letter from Jack O’Connor

Published: Thursday, May 12, 2011

Colleagues,

I wish to direct your attention to the Fair Hotels initiative which SIPTU, in conjunction with Congress, has been successfully promoting for over a year.

The Fair Hotels campaign involves union members supporting businesses which recognise the right of their employees to be represented by a trade union. By choosing those hotels that treat staff fairly union members and other allies can play their part in protecting quality jobs.

In this regard the initiative is having considerable success with three new hotels agreeing to recognise the union in recent months - the Clayton Hotel in Galway, Whites Hotel in Wexford and Wynns Hotel in Dublin.

In my view, it is a blueprint for building a sustainable economy and is in the interests of both the island's 800,000 trade union members and well run hotel businesses.

In the light of the Government's reduction in the VAT rate from 13.5% to 9% for hotels and other tourism related industries as part of its Jobs Initiative, it is an appropriate time to avail of the offers provided for union members by the 50 hotels that have now endorsed the Fair Hotels campaign.

Support for hotels that recognise their employees right to trade union representation is all the more urgent given the current pressure on the wage setting mechanisms (Joint Labour Committees, the Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreements) in low paid sectors of the economy.

If you are considering a weekend break, or a family holiday this year, I would appreciate it if you would consider the offers provided by those participating in the Fair Hotels campaign. When you stay in one of the unionised hotels, make sure you let the staff know you choose the hotel because you support the Fair Hotels initiative. Click here for hotels and latest offers.

Jack O'Connor
SIPTU General President
Congress President