Elsie Adamo
PRESSURE from a national shortage of workers in the hospitality sector is being felt by some local pubs who are struggling to find staff.
The Australian Hotel Association National said there are more than 100,000 positions vacant across the sector nationally, and local hospitality works are well in demand.
Joseph Ratcliffe, manager of the South Aussie Hotel, said he has had to hire people without any pub experience to fill positions.
“I have had to put new people in behind the bar and teach them how to pour a beer,” Mr Ratcliffe said.
“It has just been difficult to find and keep staff than before.”
Mr Ratcliffe said chefs and workers licenced to work with poker machines were especially a lot harder to come by than previous years.
Bars, restaurants and pubs have had to handle some tough restrictions and shutdowns since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and Mr Ratcliffe said it has effected how staff view the viability of the industry.
“Hospitality itself has been targeted out,” he said.
“Places like Bunnings and supermarkets do not get affected or shut down at all, their workers have had consistent work, or even been busier since Covid.
“In our industry there is a workforce that is 60 to 70 per cent casual, and they get sick of not working so they just go to other industries.
“While other industries are thriving, we are really struggling, there is just no reason to keep them in hospitality at all.
“There are plenty of jobs around, but why would you go to a job you have to not only police a thousand different rules, but you could get shut down and lose employment tomorrow.”
AHA chief officer Stephen Ferguson said some hotels forced to close or reduce hours because of staffing shortages.
“Our industry is struggling to recover from the worst 18 months in our history and the recovery is being hampered by a dire skills shortage right across the nation,” he said.
“The return of international students and working holiday makers will be slow, but we have an army of skilled mature age workers here that we need to tap into.
“There is a pool of retired people out there and many older workers who lost jobs during the pandemic and these people have the ‘soft skills’ needed to work in a pub. They are reliable, hard-working and mature – and we need their help.”
But not all local pubs are feeling the pinch. Toni Trabilsie, assistant manager at the Federal Hotel said they had enough staff at this stage.
“Previous to the silly season we were struggling,” Ms Trabilsie said.
“But at the moment we are adequately staffed, we do not find it hard to find new employees.”
