COVID isolation rules hitting Albany hospitality businesses already struggling with staff shortages

Albany hospitality workforces are feeling the strain of rising COVID-19 cases in the region, with local businesses having to operate with drastically reduced teams or temporarily close because of staff being hit by isolation rules. The hospitality industry has been hit hard throughout the pandemic, with business owners dealing with ever-changing restrictions while battling ongoing worker shortages. With COVID-19 cases in the Great Southern region surging in recent weeks, businesses have been dealt another blow, with workers deemed close contacts of confirmed cases in isolation and out of action for seven days. Critical workers who are deemed a close contact but are not displaying symptoms are allowed to return to work on the condition that they are tested with a rapid antigen test and isolate outside of work for seven days, according to State Government rules. Schools, health care services, and aspects of the agricultural industry fall under the critical worker category, but hospitality workers are excluded. Award-winning Albany fish-and-chip shop Ocean and Paddock is one of many hospitality businesses that have been struggling, with high numbers of staff having to isolate after being deemed close contacts. Owner Trenton Brennan said over the past fortnight, six members of his team had been deemed close contacts and forced to isolate. The business has had to continue operating understaffed, as Mr Brennan says it is “not financially sustainable” to reduce their opening hours. “Wait times are longer, some products we’re not able to put on the menu because we physically don’t have the time,” he said. Other hospitality businesses in Albany have had to close at short notice or change their opening hours as a result of the isolation rules. Local pub Due South announced on its Facebook page on March 10 that it would close on Tuesdays for a temporary period because of staffing issues. On Saturday, Espresso One was closed “due to staff shortages”, and will also be closed again on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also on Saturday, Monty’s Leap also had to close at short notice because of staff illness, announcing on its Facebook page on Friday that “due to extreme staff shortages” it was unable to take any more bookings over the next four days. Mr Brennan said businesses that were staying open with limited staff were facing disrespect and rudeness from customers. “Last weekend I had a terrible night, I was down three staff and I went out to apologise to all the customers,” he said. “And a lady looked me in the eye and she said ‘you should be spending more time cooking, less time apologising’. “People aren’t really understanding what’s going on with the industry. “There’s not a single chef, restaurateur, cafe worker that’s not really trying their hardest at the moment.” This behaviour from some customers was taking a toll on the mental health of many hospitality workers, Mr Brennan said. “It’s really stressing everyone out, and the best thing the community can do is to be understanding and supportive,” he said. The region’s worker shortages were on full display on Wednesday at the Albany Job Fair, where 28 businesses were aiming to fill gaps in their workforce. A large noticeboard was filled with flyers advertising open positions waiting for staff, and 450 jobs were on offer. Speaking at the fair, Fletcher International Export training co-ordinator John Toy said the meat processing business was looking for about 60 workers to add to its 430-strong workforce. “We used to rely on a lot of backpackers coming through but because of COVID-19, there’s no more backpackers,” he said. “Therefore, we’ve had to resort to other forms of employment. “At the moment we’ve been employing people from the Pacific region, and bringing them across . . . on a three-year contract. But we’re constantly looking for local labour to come in and fill the void.” In attendance was Member for O’Connor Rick Wilson, who said employers across the Great Southern were struggling to find workers. He said the COVID-19 pandemic had caused some employers to shift away from relying on seasonal workers. “I think in certain industries, the backpackers will always play an important part,” he said. “Hospitality is one of those, farming is another one, where short-term casual positions suit the backpacker-type worker. “But I think a lot of people have also learnt that relying on international workers can also be fraught when we have something pop up out of the blue like COVID. “So I think while people are looking for backpackers to come back and fill some of those casual roles, a lot of employers now are looking to try and recruit, train, and retain their local workforce.”