Sheffield hospitality staff are \u201cpowerless\u201d as managers prioritise the high profits in the festive season, despite a new duty on employers to proactively prevent sexual harassment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Bob Jeffrey, of the Sheffield Trade Union Council said: \u201cSexual harassment is an endemic in the hospitality industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His co-author on a study of the hospitality industry in South Yorkshire, Dr Ruth Beresford, said: \u201cAt least half of hospitality workers are on low pay, part-time and precarious work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is a high staff turnover and many of them are from minority groups and are women who are more vulnerable to sexual harassment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alice* was serving drinks at a Sheffield bar when a customer showed a naked picture of himself and asked if she was interested. Her manager did not ask the man to leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSadly, this is one of the multiple sexual harassment experiences I’ve had. I’ve been groped and sexually harassed by men. I was reduced to an object. From my own experience, managers prefer profit to people.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
“It makes hospitality a scary place to work for many women.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bea* who works in a restaurant said: “When I was bending over to collect glasses a man nearly triple my age grabbed my bum. I politely told him to please not do that but an hour later he grabbed both my waist and bum again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI told my floor manager but it was swept under the rug because it was a profitable night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bea said she experiences inappropriate comments \u201calmost daily\u201d and often in large groups, other men will “join in on the joke.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although it is not clear what these steps are, UKHospitality has told businesses<\/a> to carry out risk assessments, train staff and managers on how to respond to sexual harassment, and promote an open culture that encourages people to report it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, Dr Beresford is concerned this legislation is not enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nSexual harassment is part of the business model and calling it out is too much of a threat to their business.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
She said there is a \u201csexualisation\u201d of hospitality work and that employers will use female staff to attract male customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey put their profit before the needs of their workers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over Christmas, pubs, bars, and restaurants employ a high number of agency and part-time staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Beresford said that these workers are particularly dependent on managers to give them work which can be \u201cdangerous\u201d because \u201cthey have complete control over their staffs\u2019 working lives.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You feel powerless.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She shared the experience of a woman in Sheffield who complained about the inappropriate behaviour of a supervisor and her manager, in retaliation, cut her hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the Employment Rights Bill means that zero-hour workers will be offered guaranteed hour contracts<\/a> which Dr Jeffrey said \u201cwill make it harder for employers to reduce your hours in retaliation for speaking out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Beresford advised: \u201cSpeak to your colleagues. It’s empowering to find out you\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
*Not their real names<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Featured image (Source – Adobe Stock). <\/p>\n\n\n\n