Tourism needs good working conditions instead of adding people from low-wage countries

Eva Eberhart, chairman of the tourism department in the VIDA union, the further development of Plan T and his broad interpretation. Eberhart, however, calls for the federal government to focus more on the situation of those employed in the industry and its working conditions: “Only through the great commitment and diligence of employees is tourism again strengthened after pandemic,” says the VIDA trade unionist. Eberhart adds that one should not be surprised if there is a lack of interest in people without wanting to work in the industry without a corresponding inclusion of the employees.

Even if some important points and improvements for the employees have been achieved by social partners recently, politics has been using the short-sighted remedy for years to compensate for labor shortages with cheap, easily blackmailed workers such as additional defeats from the Western Balkans or with forces from third countries via the red-white-red card. “Without a significant improvement in working conditions, the labor market in tourism remains a temperature without soil,” continues Eberhart.

The devastating consequences of this strategy are wage pressure, precarious conditions and permanent personnel wear in the industry. Use the need of people from low -wage countries and to advertise them for seasonal work makes the tourism industry anything but more attractive. You also start to discard domestic job seekers, who would then not find good offers and conditions. This also applies to those seeking apprenticeships – the industry also has to become more attractive for young people. In tourism, there are fewer apprentices today than before pandemic and that with a simultaneous rising youth unemployment. “This cannot be overlooked with a plan T and a well-intentioned survey,” emphasizes the VIDA trade unionist.

The gastronomy and hotel industry could fall back on greater workforce potential than many other industries: in 2024, unemployment in the tourism industry was 12.7 percent annually. That is over 33,000 people in Germany who are looking for employment in this sector. “The workforce is already here, you only have to pick them up in Austria and the EU with the right offers. This succeeds if tourism as an interesting profession also offers long -term perspectives with good working conditions and according to financial livelihood,” Eberhart confirms in conclusion.