Hold the grease

Local restaurants and fast food outlets are being hit by a severe labour shortage and the big players in the industry say it is having a negative impact on their operations.

What happened before was that workers would flock to the fast food business because there was no alternative. Most would stick it out until something better turned up or just change uniforms.

With minimum wage now pegged at $8 per hour, the feeling was that it would act as an incentive for the fast food job market. But it did not quite work out like that. Instead, many young people are exploring other horizons and leaving the grease behind.

Analysts say that as a result of the construction boom, CEPEP, and greater job benefits on foreign cruise ships, employers are finding themselves on the ropes. Hardest hit is fast food giant KFC which has the largest chain of restaurants in Trinidad and Tobago.

Joseph Esau, chairman of restaurant management company, Prestige Holdings Limited, in highlighting the recent results of the consolidated unaudited financial performance of the company’s various restaurants, admitted that KFC’s labour shortage has had an effect on performance.

“Although sales in the 48 restaurants in Trinidad and Tobago are improving, we are suffering from a severe labour shortage that is a challenge to our business, particularly in North Trinidad,” Esau said.

He added that the company was using “creative approaches” to redress the imbalance. Although he did not say what these were, the company, is seeking to entice persons with their “Now Hiring Customer Maniacs” flyers posted on the doors of all of its outlets in Port-of-Spain and East Trinidad.

The posters offer interested persons “a great place to learn and grow,” “greater career opportunities,” and “a great future.”

Esau said that although group sales had increased by four percent to $281M, profit attributable to shareholders decreased by 32 percent to $8.4M, from an average number of 76 restaurants compared with 74 in the comparable half year of 2005.

“While KFC Trinidad and Tobago restaurant sales have substantially recovered to prior year levels, we are working to consistently achieve planned growth as increase operating costs in this inflationary economy are a challenge,” he said.

CEO of the Pizza Boys Group, Jearlean John thinks that the manner in which employers treat their workers has a lot to do with determining the success of the company.

Pizza Boys, she said, has not had any problems in terms of labour. And the company has not seen any drop in sales as a result of the fungus outbreak last year.

“We have always treated with cleanliness at our stores, and as a result, our customer’s faith in our products never waivers,” she said.

She added that the company offers several incentives to workers like monthly and annual bonuses, a health plan and award programmes in recognition of their contribution to the group.

“Every aspect, from the moment you enter this company to the time you apply, the manner in which you are treated makes you feel welcome to stay and that is how we manage to keep our employees,” she said.

Other outlets are feeling the pinch on their labour force as well.

Tony Roma’s officials said last week that they have had to deal with a shortage of workers at the company.

“The industry is growing so much that the amount of skilled staff in this country is being split among all of these restaurants,” said one official.

It was pointed out though that the shortage has nothing to do with persons joining the construction industry or CEPEP and URP programmes.

Instead, it was pointed out that the wages in the fast food business could not match those being offered by other industry sectors.

Veejai Seeramlal, Manager of Bottecelli’s admits that the workforce at some restaurants has diminished. He said although this has not occurred at his restaurant, he attributes the decrease to the cruise ship industry.

“Apparently every one is training at the restaurants and are taking up opportunities on the ship,” he said. Cruise ships, he said, offer up to US $4000 per month as compared to some restaurants which offer employees TT$2000 monthly.

“People who don’t have the experience or knowledge go to fast food outlets to work but get fed up because of the poor treatment they get,” he pointed out.

“If fast food outlets treat workers well then they would not have to see new faces every week,” Seeramlal said.

BOS Burgers, which has just three outlets in Trinidad, also faces a labour shortage but company CEO Mrs Foster, does not blame it on other available avenues of work.

“Workers just have a bad attitude toward work,” she said.

“They have no values or pride in themselves, there is so much you can do in terms of training them but they must have something you can work with,” she said.

She added that most young persons who start to work at the outlets quit within a few weeks, because of the level of work they realise they have to put out.

“Then there are some who just come to get enough money to buy something fancy, then they quit. They just lack the will to work,” she emphasised.

Bootleggers’ Manager, Gigio Omana, expressed similar sentiments. He said although his restaurant is over-staffed, the work ethic among the employees was slowly deteriorating.

“We don’t have a labour shortage just a bunch of people who are not willing to work,” he said.