Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she is “aware of the issues” around worker shortages in hospitality and signals there will be moves to address them in the “not too distant future”.
After weeks of build-up to today’s #LightsOut event, we now have some acknowledgment from the government that there is a skills shortage in our industry. With hundreds of prominent businesses behind the cause, our collective efforts have let us be heard!
It’s not too late to be a part of the movement with the #LightsOut event tonight at 7pm. The more businesses that are involved in the Lights Out event and are supporting the campaign, the more awareness we are providing to let the government know how serious the situation is.
The Lights Out event is the latest part of the Reset campaign, a two month-long collective action to remind the Government of the impact hospitality has in New Zealand with three key asks of Government:
- Provide an urgent additional visa extension for employer assisted work visa holders currently in New Zealand to allow employers to retain their existing migrant workforce
- Allow border exceptions for other critical workers from other industries such as hospitality where there is a proven need
- Extend the number of working hours permitted for those on student visas.