4 October 2000PHILIPPINES – Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta is batting for security of tenure and benefits for regular extra workers in the hotel and restaurant sector of the tourism industry.
Araneta and labor secretary Ben Laguesma have jointly urged top management of hotels and restaurants to grant almost the same package of benefits its staff get.
The additional hands used by hotels and restaurants during banquet functions, seminars and other related functions, are called regular extra workers. They also perform other related functions when the regular workforce cannot cope with the bulk of work to be done on these occasions.
Araneta added that "while the services are rendered intermittently, the need is quite regular and their services are crucial to the function of hotels and restaurants, so it is only proper to give the extra workers their due."
Last year, Araneta issued a memorandum circular requiring all foreign national executives and employees in the hotel, resort and restaurant sector to attend the DOT Cross Cultural Learning Experience Program for Expatriate Personnel, which has been instrumental in preserving industrial peace in the hotel and restaurant industry.