‘Absurd’ to delete hotel maids from list of heavy and unhealthy jobs
Image: Official List of Heavy and Unhealthy Occupations [highlighted text: Maids Excluded]
The decision to exclude Greek hotel maids from the list of “heavy and unhealthy” occupations, which entitled them to early retirement, was made without clear agreement, in an arbitrary process, and in contradiction with scientific facts, members of the standing committee now claim.
As a consequence, maids face workplace hazards which result in severe musculoskeletal disorders while at the same time failing to reap the benefit of early retirement.
“There were no criteria for deleting the maids from the list,” says Dr. Vasilis Drakopoulos, representative of the Hellenic Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (ELINYAE) on the committee.
“The designated ‘experts’ were employees of the Ministry of Labour, Social Security & Welfare and their views were unscientific and absurd.”
As the final decision was within the domain of the Minister Giorgos Κoutroumanis, the Committee’s president. Dr. Konstantinidis recommended him that a risk assessment should be conducted before excluding maids from the list. However, since the decision was taken in 2011, there have been no studies. “There is no real occupational risk assessment in our country,” he says.
Image: Secretariat of Health and Welfare Services Inspection Body response to MIJ request of inspections
There have been no inspections of the tourist sector since then, and in any case the occupation is no longer recognised as separate category, according to Vasiliki Fakoukaki, Secretariat of Health and Welfare Services Inspection Body.
Greece continues to enjoy a surge in tourists. Nevertheless, maids are the hidden story of the tourist sector. Although the housekeeping department is considered to be crucial within a hotel, maids say they are badly treated and their complaints are ignored.
“I suffer from tendonitis in both my hands and both my shoulders but also problems with my knees because of bending over often,” says Mirofora Stamopoulou, 36, a maid for Blue Lagoon, in an interview with MIJ.
“All of my colleagues have problems too. Daily pains in our occupation are common due to the nature of the job.”
Popular hotel complexes such as Hilton Athens use outsourcing companies services to avoid expenses, according to the Syndicate of Food, Tourism, Hotels of Attica. But whilst the hotel has admitted MIJ the use of these external companies, they do not recognise the syndicate’s allegations regarding labour costs.
Rolling times, especially night shifts, exposure to carcinogens and work-related stress are some of the criteria used to evaluate whether an occupation is designated “heavy and unhealthy”. Other occupations on the list enjoy early retirement benefits on the grounds of the nature of their working environments.
A new law on early retirement was submitted to parliament by the Labor Ministry in May. But because of being removed from the list, maids will miss out on any benefits from this reform.