In response to the inaccurate and misleading reports that have been circulated by the Employees Association of the Hotel of our Company, the Elounda Breeze, but also by the Union Talos, we feel the need to restore the truth, with actual facts, other than the use of slogans, inconsistencies and threats, but totally ignoring the facts.
The Company “Avra Elounda A.E.”, owned by Michalis Vamiedakis, employed all of it’s staff with contracts that were based on the local collective contract for the Prefecture of Lasithi and we have paid them all of the wages that they are legally entitled to.
There are no outstanding wages owed to employees, they were all cleared months ago, in contradiction to other hotels in the area and in Greece overall. This fact was confirmed by the President of the Employers Association, in his speech in January 2017 on the occasion of cutting the New Year’s Cake, an event which was recorded and posted on the internet, presenting at the time, this achievement of being paid in full, as something that they had achieved for the staff.
The few students, all from European Countries, that we employ completely legitimately, are within the limits of the numbers permitted and we have never exceeded this limit. They are chosen, as is all of our staff, on merit, which is something that causes very negative impressions in the reports, where they are christened as “students from countries of eastern Europe”. The Iron Curtain fell several decades ago and the racist distinction between “East” and “West”, only reminds us all, of a long, dark past.
In the two years that our Company has been operating the Hotel, we have had operational losses which are due to internal and external factors. This however has not stopped the Company from paying the staff correctly and maintaining their jobs, upgrading the Hotel in fact and creating a superior tourist product.
During last season, problems in some areas of service were identified and were publicised by guests on internet, on recognised sites, whose grades are taken very seriously by tour operators, which caused a negative effect on the level of bookings made for the Hotel.
This fact led the Company to take the necessary measures to improve these issues on all levels, including it’s human resources, in order to upgrade the services on offer and the level of customer satisfaction, to remain viable and to safeguard jobs in these difficult times.
It is a legal right and obligation of every Company in a free market, to secure it’s correct operation, utilising it’s employees on merit and to fill each position with those that they feel are most capable. Despite the fact that the employment or not, of a certain person, is entirely the responsibility of the Company. The one thing that is certain is that every position is assured, and will be filled by another person, who will be paid equally legally.
“Avra Elounda A.E.” has nothing to gain financially, only in terms of quality, from it’s employment programme, as the number of positions and the costs remain the same.
It is a well known fact that the appraisal process bothers some circles that support the Procrustean logic. They are not our main concern, only the sound, sustainable operation of a business which is in a position to pay it’s staff and suppliers. We are not a soviet type company with the theory of, “make it work, make it pay us”.
The Manager of the Hotel and the General Manager of the Company are always available to speak to any member of staff or their representatives, if asked, whether they are union members or not and will always be on a completely human approach. We do not refuse dialogue, because we have nothing to fear and we look our staff directly in the eye. We respect the unions and the history of the Company and the Group has always proved that it always wants to work with them, in order to improve working conditions and the results operationally.
The fact that the President of the Company has been targeted personally in the reports, referring specifically to his political position, because the company simply wants to exercise its legal rights and work more effectively, raises legitimate questions about the motives for this offensive. Is it really workers solidarity or something else, perhaps with political implications? Whatever it is, it does not change the facts and the company will not be blackmailed.
Historically, the trade union movement, when operated with the interests of all employees, embraced by the whole society and its goals. But whenever it was used for personal ambition alone, it inevitably worked to the detriment of the economy and it’s growth, but also for workers, for whom a healthy business will only increase and secure the future of their jobs.
Good season to all of us!