Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said businesses benefiting from the Large Tourism and Hospitality Business Support Scheme must not make workers redundant and should instead avail of the furlough scheme.

The party’s economy spokesperson said:

“The pandemic has had a particularly bad impact on the hospitality and tourism sector.

“In light of that the Executive has put in place supports including rates relief and support grants.

“The latest scheme, the Large Tourism and Hospitality Business Support Scheme (LTHBSS) makes support available to larger businesses and is a significant and progressive payment based on business size.

“Those businesses in receipt of the scheme need to ensure that workers are supported. They must not be making staff redundant and that includes workers on casual or zero hours contracts, instead they should be availing of the furlough scheme.

“There have been reports of some large hotels laying off staff on casual contracts.

“With the LTHBSS now in place there is zero justification for that and any hotel benefiting from this scheme, moving to lay off staff must now reverse that decision.

“This crisis has highlighted the precarious nature of the terms and conditions that some workers face.

“There is a real need to address this, to strengthen and uphold workers’ rights by implementing the employment commitments in New Decade New Approach.”