Maltese Chef Says He Was Told To Work For €3.49 An Hour After COVID-19 Lockdown
Maltese executive chef Alan Warren Cefai has recounted how he suffered workplace abuse after he was ordered to work for peanuts following the COVID-19 lockdown.
During a debate on TVM’s Realta’ last week, Cefai said that when the original quasi-lockdown was lifted in 2020, his employer gathered the staff to inform them they would have to give up part of the salaries to help the business get back on its feet.
“We all agreed but the issue was that they wanted to reduce my salary by 65%, which when divided by how many hours I had to work, amounted to €3.49 an hour,” he warned.
“The government was giving us some €720 a month as a wage supplement while we were at home. I might as well stay at home and enjoy my kids than go to work for that same amount of money.”
Cefai said he resigned and found another job but warned that other people are in a similar situation.
Besides the direct impact of lockdown, he also raised a point that while catering staff may be promised decent salaries during their interview, they aren’t always told how many hours they will have to work.
“You go for an interview and they tell you how much you’re being paid but without telling you whether it’s for 40,50, 60, sometimes even 70, hours a week. If you divide your salary by the hours and realise you’re getting €8 an hour, you will ask yourself whether it’s worth it. You can’t give someone a salary but then make them work unlimited hours, especially now there is a staff shortage.”
Association of Catering Establishments secretary-general Matthew Pace and restaurateur-chef Sean Gravina used Cefai’s case to point out that the catering industry has become a worker’s market, where employees facing abuse at work can easily find a new job with better conditions.
Have you experienced something similar following lockdown? Reach out to Lovin Malta by sending an email to [email protected]
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