United voice for hotel industry severed

By Hannah Edensor

Despite major push from both the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) and Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA), the singular voice for the hotel industry has once again become two.

Moves by AHA and TAA were aimed at forging a united representative organisation for the Australian accommodation industry by partnering with the Accommodation Association of Australia (AAoA).

Last year, AHA and TAA established a joint working board with AAoA, and implemented strategies in order to create a ‘one voice’ organisation to represent the accommodation sector.

Following the completion of these processes, AHA made an amended offer to AAoA last month that proposed that TAA would service the obligation of their members at no additional fee, for up to 12 months, with the intention of retaining the spirit of the agreement.

However, AHA’s ceo Stephen Ferguson said this offer was rejected, despite AHA remaining committed to building an accommodation representative body that would focus solely on the drivers of the accommodation sector

“We are disappointed that the original negotiation for a united voice did not proceed, but through Tourism Accommodation Australia, we remain committed to creating one well-resourced and effective national accommodation voice,” Ferguson said.

“This organisation, with Martin Ferguson as Chair, will provide the accommodation sector with its highest-ever level of advocacy and representation at Federal Government level.

“AHA/TAA is in the best position to tackle the most pressing issues facing the accommodation sector, in particular workplace reforms, which are to be examined by the Fair Work Commission.”

“The TAA Board will be supported by the strong financial base of the AHA, with 15 dedicated workplace relations staff, and representation in every state and territory. It will be resourced at the national level as well as the state level.

“TAA has strong representation from the majority of the international hotel brands, and remains committed to broadening our membership base, welcoming both licensed and unlicensed premises to ensure we represent the full views and interests of Australia’s accommodation sector.”

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Latest comments

sting says:

June 30, 2015 at 9:21 am

…so all these things about accommodation providers getting united is for the urgent purpose of workforce reforms… i bet the big part of it is the wage… in particular the penalty rates… come on guys give the hospitality workers a break… they’re already the lowest paid segment of the working class in the whole of australia… you don’t even give them midyear and christmas bonuses… can you at least give them extra pay when working on sundays and holy days.. it’s not that they don’t even work at all on those days… they actually work, you know…. always be nice to your workers… you are already overworking them because you refuse to hire some more workers… give them at least the reward of getting paid more on those days… business is not about making big profit.. it is about helping out… it’s about charity to those working for you…

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