I can’t quite weigh that up, taking the story at face value, are these tour companies getting worse? It’s not the first time this season, Mark blogged about it :
The expectation the UK market have about price are fairly amazing. There’s a budget sector but people seem to expect a fully catered chalet, ski passes, “ski hosting” and flights for a couple of hundred quid, at the low point it’s a bit unpleasant in some way.
It’s no wonder corners get caught and some totally unscrupulous operators go too far.
My sympathy for the staff is slightly limited though, they’re quibbling about the difference in being paid nothing compared to nearly nothing. The availability of staff to work for below minimum way, and often without correct paperwork, is the other main item that props this market segment up.
Mark’s article is interesting. However as far as I recall the TO’s get away with employing people under UK contracts because companies can send staff abroad for up to 6 months without having a local contract. I’m still not sure about pay though given that the UK and France both have a minimum wage at similar levels.
I came out to the Alps with a TO. They pay you 100 euros a week and then say you work 20 hrs a week, then they add in your “benefits in kind”, so ski pass, food and accommodation and “voila” you get the minimum wage. And that’s the straight ones. Many don’t bother with the paperwork though in my experience the cowboys are far fewer than when I came out 12 years ago.
Legally only accommodation can be counted as a benefit in kind for NMW pay and the amount is very restricted (AFAIKS). There are also maximum working weeks, although even in France there are exceptions for seasonal and tourist work.
I came out to the Alps with a TO. They pay you 100 euros a week and then say you work 20 hrs a week, then they add in your “benefits in kind”, so ski pass, food and accommodation and “voila” you get the minimum wage. And that’s the straight ones. Many don’t bother with the paperwork though in my experience the cowboys are far fewer than when I came out 12 years ago.
That’s interesting, that’s what I was wondering. I feel I’ve heard more stories but in the internet/facebook age that’s not surprising.
I have seen that UK companies aren’t the only offenders, I’ve seen a large Belgian company operating badly in a couple of locations over a few seasons and years so it’s apparently part of the company culture.
After a long negotiation of nearly three hours, the labor inspectorate of Savoy and the mayor of Saint-Martin de Belleville have been successful. The seven seasonal English who occupied the luxury chalet of their employer will ultimately be paid according to the law in force in France, and return costs will be borne by their employer.
A meeting was held in the afternoon between seasonal British workers, the Labour Office and the Director General of council services in Saint-Martin de Belleville and a company representative Skithe3V. It aimed to find a solution in the conflict between the seven seasonal English occupying a luxury chalet waiting to be paid. They had started work on February 1 for the British company Skithe3V when they learned they had been dismissed without notice by email. They demanded their due plus travel expenses.
In a statement released yesterday, “the City of Saint Martin de Belleville and Les Menuires Tourist Office had wished to express their dismay at this situation ... The town of Les Menuires wanted very strongly that these negotiations result in a rapid agreement between the parties, in compliance with current legislation. ”
I remember having to sign papers to say that I was only working 20 hours per week. I reckon that I worked about 60 hours a week - which is also more than maximum hours.
I was happy to do that as were hundreds of other seasonaires. There are, or certainly were queues of people wanting to work in the alps, have a great time, not actually that bothered about pay because passes were given, accom, food, in a protected environment.
Sure it’s illegal but it’s not a job for life but generally a stop gap. Thousands of skiers get good service and cheap holidays on the back of these practices. Tour operators are not making millions out of it so it’s not really exploitative in the sense of fat cats.
This could break some companies and even some resorts! Certainly turn some back into an exclusive domain unaffordable to the masses.
I’ve often thought that the people going on “Chalet Holidays” aren’t paying enough. Because the chalet staff aren’t being paid properly it skews the market. The “Chalet Holiday” should not really exist at the price it does. But if it didn’t a lot less (Brits) would go skiing which would have knock on effects.....
Its not just budget chalet it’s all the tour operators. Therefore it’s massive. All have resort staff, transfer staff, drivers, ski hosts etc.
The last chalet I worked in was 2000 e per week per person - there were 14 beds. I got 350 pounds per month after all the deductions for the pass, accom, food etc.
As I said above this could be massive for both the companies and the ski resorts. I heard that val d’isere was 65% English clientele. I would argue that of that 90% are with some sort of tour operator.....
I tend to agree with Chops that a lot of people wanted to do a “season” at one time and the easiest way was via a TO - either for the skiing, social side or for some as an entry into the tourism industry (yes, really!!!) so the question maybe comes back to whether a minimum wage is a good thing or not? In the case of a winter season it seems that getting a LP, food and accommodation and a bit of beer money is a fair deal. What is the alternative? Does it lower salaries for other season workers including natives to the country? Economics would suggest that lower costs can create a market with spin offs for other players.
More people seem to be opting for ski bumming, working abroad close to the mountains or even doing a ski instructor gap year course as a way of spending time in the mountains so maybe the TO route has run its course to some extent.
