Labour Works

LABOUR WORKS VIEW ONLINE AT winnipegfreepress.com/lifestyles OCTOBER 30, 2021 ❙ A SUPPLEMENT TO THE WINNIPEG FREE PRESS B Y J E N N I F E R M C F E E T he pandemic has taken a bite out of the local restaurant scene, and now the current staff shortage is serving up another predicament. Shaun Jeffrey, CEO of the Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association (MRFA), outlines the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. "It's well known that the restaurant industry has been the most significantly impacted by COVID-19, bar none," he says. "We were the first to lock down and the last to open. We are one of the very few industries that still have restrictions in place." As a result, it's been a challenge to recruit and retain enough workers to keep forging forward. "Through three lockdowns during COVID, we lost a good portion of our staff to the federal subsidies that were out there. Then a lot of them left the industry because of all the inconsistency at that point," Jeffrey says. "Coming out of the summer, we reopened at the beginning of September but now we've lost our student workforce that has gone back to university, or they've really significantly diminished their hours." With the holiday season coming up, an aggressive hiring campaign is currently underway to implore people to apply for restaurant work. Interested applicants can visit www. joinfoodservice.ca to check out the job board, and local restaurants can also add their vacancies to the list. "People can apply for multiple different positions and operations. Our analytics show it's being well received, but we're still far behind in trying to get people back into the industry now — and that goes for dishwashers all the way up to management," Jeffrey says. Right now, serving positions are the hardest to fill, he adds. "They usually go first and now we're finding that we can't even fill those positions, which is unheard of. We're heading into one of our busiest seasons and we don't have a whole lot of staff. It's tough." Rural restaurants face an even harsher challenge since most don't have a large staff pool to draw upon. "A lot of restaurant operators are operating at 50 or 60 per cent occupancy because they don't have the staff. You're also seeing a lot of owners, managers and general managers working their management shift and then working another four or five hours in the kitchen afterwards because they don't have kitchen staff," Jeffrey says. "It's sad that some restaurants are turning people away at the door because they're so understaffed." Yet with tremendous tenacity, the industry continues to endure this trying time. "Even under full vaccination restrictions, some of these operators have reopened and are seeing revenue levels that supersede pre-COVID because people are excited after being locked up for so long," Jeffrey says. "It's very safe to eat in a restaurant and always has been. Having fully vaccinated restrictions in place entices people to come back out because they really like that sense of security." For anyone who'd like to lend a helping hand to their favourite restaurants, Jeffrey offers simple advice — consider applying to work there, even just for a little while. "We are definitely hiring, and there is not a more flexible work environment than the restaurant industry. They can work around your schedule, whether you need to pick up your kids or if you have another job. It's a great place to start and you don't need experience," Jeffrey says. He adds that it makes sense to apply to an establishment that you're familiar with. "Apply to a restaurant that you go to all the time. If you don't, then those restaurants are going to have a tough time making it through the season. We really need workers now, even if they just want to work for the holiday season to make a few extra bucks for Christmas presents. We need you now, for sure." APPLY NOW FOR RESTAURANT WORK People can apply for multiple different positions and operations. Our analytics show it's being well received, but we're still far behind in trying to get people back into the industry now — and that goes for dishwashers all the way up to management." – SHAUN JEFFREY CEO, Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association " " It's sad that some restaurants are turning people away at the door because they're so understaffed." – SHAUN JEFFREY CEO, Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association P H OTO BY DA R C Y F I N L EY / W I N N I P EG F R E E P R E S S Shaun Jeffrey, CEO, Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association. Inquiries: 204.697.7390 teamunion.org Don't change your job, change your working conditions. Unionize.

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