Catering staff asked to report Covid-19 distancing issues at work

By Byron Mühlberg on Saturday, 30 May 2020 - 15:00
Cafe de Tropen in Amsterdam expanding its terrace into the courtyard of the Tropenmuseum in preparation for terraces reopening on 1 June 2020. Sign asks visitors to not move the tables which were organized with social distancing in mind. 29 May 2020
Cafe de Tropen in Amsterdam expanding its terrace into the courtyard of the Tropenmuseum in preparation for terraces reopening on 1 June 2020. Sign asks visitors to not move the tables which were organized with social distancing in mind. 29 May 2020NL TimesNL Times

A hotline will be opened from Monday for employees in the catering sector to share their experiences relating to public health and safety as restaurants and cafes begin to reopen across the Netherlands. Led by catering workers union FNV Horeca, the effort aims to glean insights into how staff are being tasked with responding to the pandemic.

"Many catering establishments will open their doors [from Monday] and with this hotline FNV Horeca will keep a finger on the pulse whether employees think they can do their work safely and healthily," the group said in a statement.

The union calls on catering staff to report both positive and negative experiences that they may encounter as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The results will be shared with catering sector employers and with the government, FNV Horeca said, with the first results aiming to be released by July 1 unless incidents of concern force disclosure sooner.

The group encourages workers to stay home if they experience symptoms, even if they or their employer think their job is indispensable. In addition, FNV Horeca also encourages employers to structure shifts in such a way that the same employees are together as much as possible, as well as to ensure that breaks are not taken at the same time.

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