17/03/2008
Luxury hotel workers in Australia have launched a national campaign for better pay and conditions after an investigation revealed record injury rates and the highest staff turnover of any industry. Research by hotel workers' union LHMU revealed "devastating staff turnover levels, record injury rates, dangerous workloads, bullying by management and Australia's biggest number of low paid workers." Commenting at the launch of its "Rescue package for luxury hotels" report, LHMU national secretary Louise Tarrant, said: "Luxury hotels are enjoying unprecedented occupancy but can't attract or retain workers. A critical shortage of workers and the highest staff turnover of any industry in Australia (48 per cent per annum) are creating an epidemic of injuries in luxury hotels."

She added: "Our research has exposed alarming working conditions in these hotels including the worst injury rates for working women in Australia and an overall injury rate of 9.7 per annum only fractionally behind the notorious construction industry. Working in the laundries, bedrooms, kitchens and restaurants of luxury hotels is heavy and dangerous work. This year 1 in 10 of Australia's 30,000 luxury hotels workers can expect to be injured at work."
She said the union's rescue package for the industry highlights how luxury hotels will face a recruitment and retention crisis "unless hotels create safe, rewarding and secure jobs for prospective workers."

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Source: Risks newsletter