2020 is a year for the catering sector to quickly forget. We were already increasingly facing competition from hospitality and supermarkets that also cater to needs, and this year, corona was added on top. The guests in our company restaurants stayed away because they were required to work from home.
In 2020, many large-scale reorganisations were therefore initiated, with significant consequences for the staff. Fortunately, with various employers, we were able to make agreements via social plans that ultimately worked out 'better' for employees who were made redundant than the statutory transition compensation.
I got out of it what I could, although that is cold comfort for the colleagues who were forced to leave. It felt incredibly bittersweet for me to have to conduct such negotiations. Because we don't want to lose you, our passionate and experienced staff, at all! And certainly not in these uncertain times. Fortunately, I also received signals from staff that they have found another job.
In 2021, we face new challenges. The biggest is: How do we make our beautiful sector future-proof? How do we tackle the increasing competition?
We will therefore start working on a vision for the future of the sector and on employment conditions that match it.
And we need your help with that. You are the experts, knowing the opportunities and threats like no other. You will soon receive a survey in which we ask for your opinion.
We will also use the survey results this spring in the discussions about a new CLA for catering. After all, the Updates CLA runs until 1 April 2021. I will conduct the CLA negotiations together with my colleague union representative Harry de Wit, who will resume his work for catering from 2021.
Finally, I have nothing left but to wish you very happy holidays with your loved ones. And a good and healthy 2021. Enjoy what is possible in these special times.
And for those working these days: I wish you much success and enjoyment at work!
See you next year!
Johan Bijlsma
Union representative FNV Catering