Working less hours per week

Staff working at a hotel in the Balearics. | EFE

Richie PriorPalma 27/12/2024 09:49
TW
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I read with concern that the Balearic government are open to a reduction in the working week. The Balearic vice-president and minister for economic affairs, Antoni Costa (not of Blue the boy band fame), has suggested that the regional government is open to the idea. On an island that relies heavily on tourism and with a current model that relies more or less totally on the summer. How is that going to work? Tourism provides 80% of the island’s GNP, which has affected the rapid economic growth of Palma, placing the island among the wealthier regions in Spain.

On the mainland in around the big cities, which have an industrial base I can sort of understand it but not in tourist areas. Why would you want to reduce the amount of days people work, when in reality they actually only work six months of the year because of the seasonality of tourism right now? If the seasons were to be extended, then maybe it could work.

One of the biggest problems is actually finding enough staff to cover the days that are currently open. Ever since Brexit and the removal of freedom of movement, this has become a major problem. Employing people legally from the UK has become nigh on impossible. That was compounded by the pandemic, which has meant fewer Spanish workers from the mainland are spending a summer season here to work. I know of businesses, particularly restaurants and bars, that have only been able to open five days a week because of the lack of staff.

How will they cope if they shorten the week further? This will only add more expense to a business to cover the hours needed. Also, how does this all work with the Paro (unemployment benefit) as right now you have to work a certain amount of days to be able to claim it.

For me the Government should be taking the success of extending the season in Palma the capital as an example and looking at lengthening the season in some of the main tourist areas in the north, east and south of the island.