Part-time work in tourism: vida criticises employers' practice

In the high season, the kitchen and service are in full swing: tables are full, hotels are fully booked, and summer brings much-needed sales. For the employees, this means hard work and long shifts. As soon as the season subsides, a different picture emerges: Many employers only hire year-round employees part-time or reduce hours at will. "Employers are pushing employees from full-time to part-time because the summer season is coming to an end," criticizes Eva Eberhart, chairwoman of the tourism department in the trade union vida and works council member at Nordsee. "In doing so, they are shifting the risk of their business model onto the employees and also passing the buck to them in the current part-time debate."

Practice: Flexibility at the expense of employees

This imbalance is particularly evident in weather-dependent businesses such as swimming pools or excursion restaurants. If the sun is not shining, employees are sent home without further ado. The start of school also shows the structural barriers for women: If there is no nationwide afternoon care, often only part-time care remains.
 

Facts & Figures: Part-time work in tourism is well above average

The data confirm these experiences. On an annual average in 2023, the part-time rate in accommodation and catering was 39.2% – significantly higher than the figure of 31.6% across all sectors. The high proportion of men working part-time is also striking: 24.8% of men in tourism worked part-time in 2023 (all sectors: 12.9%). These values are based on evaluations of the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Austria.

The pattern is also evident internationally: In the EU, the proportion of part-time employees among women was around 28% in 2023, compared to 8% for men. In Austria, the part-time rate in 2023 is 50.6% for women and 13.4% for men.

To put the reality of life into perspective: In Austria, part-time work means an average of around 22 hours of actual working time per week – too little to build up a living income and sufficient pension entitlements in the long term.

The law applies – but is often circumvented

In addition, many employers ignore the collective agreement. Anyone who regularly exceeds the agreed weekly working hours by at least 20% at the end of a calculation period can demand an increase in the agreed number of hours – a clear rule in the hotel and catering collective agreement. "With the Hotel and Gastronomy Collective Bargaining Agreement, we have created clear regulations to make full-time work easier to reach. But as long as employers deliberately keep their workforces part-time, this is of little use to employees," says Eberhart.

vida's demands: Expand predictability, respect, support

vida calls for an end to this practice. Firstly, there is a need for the consistent enforcement of existing collective agreement rights – including rapid increases in hours where they are entitled. Secondly, better childcare facilities are needed so that family and career are actually compatible. Third, the stigmatizing "lazy" narrative towards employees must be ended. "It is disrespectful to reduce people who ensure full restaurants and hotels in the summer in the fall and at the same time portray them as work-shy," Eberhart emphasizes. Fourthly, vida demands more predictability and security – instead of seasonal impositions and one-sided flexibility in favour of companies.