Hospitality boss wants action due to “chronic” staff shortages

Friday 08 July 2016

A hospitality chief has called for a “level playing field” due to the “chronic” shortage of staff in Jersey – following a decision to give at least 30 job licenses to the digital sector in the next six months.

Ian Barnes, President of Jersey Hospitality Association, says a precedent has now been set and wants to see the Population Office provide his members with an equivalent scheme to the one now enjoyed by Digital Jersey - which yesterday announced a new pilot scheme allowing 30 job licenses to be granted to businesses in its sector in the next six months.

Mr Barnes insists there is a “chronic” shortage of hospitality staff in Jersey and if Digital Jersey – a States-funded body – are receiving special job license allowances, so should his industry.

He says the hospitality industry is worth around £240 million a year to Jersey and as such, there is an overwhelming case for extra job licenses to be awarded to his members.

Mr Barnes said: “It is very interesting that this precedent has now been set allowing Digital Jersey to get 30 licenses in the next six months under a new pilot scheme. I don’t in any way disagree with that, but surely that means there must be a level playing field for all. The hospitality industry is suffering a chronic shortage of numbers on the Island and if Digital Jersey are getting their special allowance, why not us? 

“I looked at the States of Jersey jobs website in April and there were 175 vacancies for all sorts of hospitality jobs such as chefs, waitresses, kitchen staff, you name it. The public rightly expect to receive an outstanding level of service when they use hospitality services in Jersey and yet it is very difficult to get the job licenses approved, which means the levels of service are adversely affected.

“The shortage for chefs in particular is really desperate. Getting a job license is very hard and so when a good chef is allowed to work in Jersey, he or she tends to get quickly poached by another company offering more money. That means the original employee is left without a chef and also the costs to the public invariably go up. That is just one example of the difficult situation our members find themselves in.”

Mr Barnes says he will be seeking answers from the Population Office – and wants a similar scheme created for his industry.

“I will be taking this up straight away because we need a level playing field,” he said. “It cannot be right that there is effectively one rule for one, namely Digital Jersey, and another rule for all the others.

“It is only fair that the hospitality industry, which brings so much money to the Island, receives a similar scheme, or allowance, to that enjoyed by Digital Jersey.”

A Digital Jersey press release yesterday stated: “Digital Jersey and the Population Office have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a six-month pilot scheme to provide staffing permissions, both registered and licensed, to local businesses looking to fill technology and digital commercial roles.

“This initiative to address current skills shortages by removing barriers to digital businesses accessing the talent required to succeed.

“Digital Jersey is well placed to respond to the unique nature of the emerging digital industries, and in doing so to better target staff where the potential value added is greatest.

“Digital Jersey will be able to provide businesses with confidence that up to 30 staffing permissions from the Population Office over the next six months will be available as part of this pilot.”

The pilot scheme, which will be reviewed at the end of six months, comes as Jersey’s population rose sharply by 1,500 in 2015 – totally out of kilter with States interim population policy, which says Jersey should plan for net migration of just 325 a year.

Last month, Chief Minister Ian Gorst described the population rise as “good news” and indicative of the Island’s strong economy. Jersey’s population has grown by 12,000 over the last decade and is now estimated at 102,700.

Senator Philip Ozouf, Assistant Minister responsible for the digital industry says it desperately requires new staff.

“The digital industries are particularly reliant on the ingenuity and creativity of their staff; this is because highly skilled people enable firms to innovate at the same speed as technology is evolving,” he said.  

“This pilot is part of a digital stepping stone towards a modern diversified economy, supporting a developing industry. Jersey must increase the size of its digital labour market. We must encourage the provision of on-island training opportunities in digital skills for local talent and we must encourage graduates back to Jersey, to take up exciting roles in our emerging tech sector.”