4 ms·

One wonders if increasing the compensation offered for these jobs might result in less vacancies. I mean, I've heard theories (only theories, mind you) that thi

One wonders if increasing the compensation offered for these jobs might result in less vacancies. I mean, I've heard theories (only theories, mind you) that this could have some effect. Seems unlikely, but maybe worth a try?

SeanAnderson 2y ago
I don't know a lot about Greek economy. It seems like it could be a scenario where consumers can't afford higher prices. If prices goes up then consumers bail, companies go out of business, unemployment goes down but total available jobs goes down, too. Instead, everyone's grinding their way to the bottom which isn't great, either.
- Arnt 2y ago
  The Greek economy is highly seasonal. There's tourist season and off season.
stavros 2y ago
There are no vacancies. On the contrary, there's a whole slew of 20-somethings willing to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for six months for 1k/mo so they have some money during the winter.
- PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
  From TFA: > However, at least the pay is good on Mykonos, which cannot be said for some of the less well-known Greek holiday destinations. > All of this is why hotel-owners in regions like the popular Chalkidiki peninsula in northern Greece are having trouble finding enough workers. As a result, some restaurants and hotels in Greece will open late this summer.
  - stavros 2y ago
    Well, at least TFA is right about the horrid conditions. I don't know how right it is about the shortage, I'll tell you tomorrow when I'm there. The prices are already exorbitant, though, so I'd be surprised if the business owners couldn't afford to pay workers a bit more to entice them to come. If there's a worker shortage, why will hotels open later? Sounds to me like an excuse to cover up a less-busy-than-expected opening season.
- PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
  From the opening text of TFA: > From the construction industry to the tourism sector, Greek employers cannot find the staff they need.
  - bluepuma77 2y ago
    Yes, but what’s the reason behind this? If you have bad working conditions (overtime, weekends) and pay very low salary, who wants those jobs? Greece is in EU, so the workers can just move to better paying places (Germany, France, Nordics). Maybe they rather need to tackle their many times mentioned corruption problems, so the value created can be distributed also among the workers. So that work becomes worthwhile again.
    - jq-r 2y ago
      Exactly the same story over here in Croatia. It's a narrative from political elites blaming "lazy and demanding" workers. The real truth is that working conditions, salaries and culture suck, and yes, workers are emigrating to other EU countries like never before in history of the country/region. Politicians are crying their eyes out how people don't want to work so they're "forced" to let immigration being rampant. All the while being corrupted like there is no tomorrow (and probably there isn't). This is happening everywhere and there are slight differences depending if those are jobs in tourism or not. In tourism terrible cafe owners are complaining that waiters cost too much (they don't), hotel owners are paying minimum level wages to immigrants (why paying full salary to a local?), local public transit company is complaining that that cannot find drivers (so: immigration). All of this is complete BS. The standard of living is going down the drain, the difference between a tourist and local's buying power is larger and larger, politicians are doing everything in their powers to enrich themselves fuck all, same with judiciary, and public health services works only on paper. We're completely screwed. And related, this reminds me about 20 years ago I was constantly hearing and reading from the media how domestic IT is sorely missing workers of any kind. Which was bs, they then wanted almost minimum wage experienced workers, just like they still want now.
fransje26 2y ago
Why pay them more, if you can make them work two extra hours per day, for free.. :-/

SeanAnderson 2y ago

I don't know a lot about Greek economy. It seems like it could be a scenario where consumers can't afford higher prices. If prices goes up then consumers bail, companies go out of business, unemployment goes down but total available jobs goes down, too. Instead, everyone's grinding their way to the bottom which isn't great, either.

Arnt 2y ago
The Greek economy is highly seasonal. There's tourist season and off season.

stavros 2y ago

There are no vacancies. On the contrary, there's a whole slew of 20-somethings willing to work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for six months for 1k/mo so they have some money during the winter.

PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
From TFA: > However, at least the pay is good on Mykonos, which cannot be said for some of the less well-known Greek holiday destinations. > All of this is why hotel-owners in regions like the popular Chalkidiki peninsula in northern Greece are having trouble finding enough workers. As a result, some restaurants and hotels in Greece will open late this summer.
- stavros 2y ago
  Well, at least TFA is right about the horrid conditions. I don't know how right it is about the shortage, I'll tell you tomorrow when I'm there. The prices are already exorbitant, though, so I'd be surprised if the business owners couldn't afford to pay workers a bit more to entice them to come. If there's a worker shortage, why will hotels open later? Sounds to me like an excuse to cover up a less-busy-than-expected opening season.
PaulDavisThe1st 2y ago
From the opening text of TFA: > From the construction industry to the tourism sector, Greek employers cannot find the staff they need.
- bluepuma77 2y ago
  Yes, but what’s the reason behind this? If you have bad working conditions (overtime, weekends) and pay very low salary, who wants those jobs? Greece is in EU, so the workers can just move to better paying places (Germany, France, Nordics). Maybe they rather need to tackle their many times mentioned corruption problems, so the value created can be distributed also among the workers. So that work becomes worthwhile again.
  - jq-r 2y ago
    Exactly the same story over here in Croatia. It's a narrative from political elites blaming "lazy and demanding" workers. The real truth is that working conditions, salaries and culture suck, and yes, workers are emigrating to other EU countries like never before in history of the country/region. Politicians are crying their eyes out how people don't want to work so they're "forced" to let immigration being rampant. All the while being corrupted like there is no tomorrow (and probably there isn't). This is happening everywhere and there are slight differences depending if those are jobs in tourism or not. In tourism terrible cafe owners are complaining that waiters cost too much (they don't), hotel owners are paying minimum level wages to immigrants (why paying full salary to a local?), local public transit company is complaining that that cannot find drivers (so: immigration). All of this is complete BS. The standard of living is going down the drain, the difference between a tourist and local's buying power is larger and larger, politicians are doing everything in their powers to enrich themselves fuck all, same with judiciary, and public health services works only on paper. We're completely screwed. And related, this reminds me about 20 years ago I was constantly hearing and reading from the media how domestic IT is sorely missing workers of any kind. Which was bs, they then wanted almost minimum wage experienced workers, just like they still want now.

fransje26 2y ago

Why pay them more, if you can make them work two extra hours per day, for free.. :-/