Restaurant owners in Auckland and Queenstown are crying out for staff as they are hampered by border closures and local labour shortages.
Besos Latinos' Ceviche Bar in Auckland's Viaduct needs 12 staff, but owner Luis Cabrera told Breakfast he only has four.
On New Year's Eve and Mother's Day, he described himself, his wife, a friend and two neighbours running the show due to a lack of staff.
He tried to bring staff down to Ceviche Bar from his liquidated Elliott Stables restaurant, Besos Latinos, but their visas expired because he could not change the conditions on them — they were tied to the restaurant.
"It's sad to see those skills wasted under those conditions."
In Queenstown, Republic Hospitality Group runs 10 bars and restaurants.
Tracy Pool told Breakfast she has 100 staff across these sites, but needs 20 more.
Looming over her head is in the impact on operating hours, which will affect staff.
She said only five are on minimum wage.
Despite having a winter incentive payment of $1 per hour which is back paid and a $250 sign-up bonus, she said she still can't get staff.
"People. We need staff. We need people and we need the Government to start listening and supporting and not just saying no."
Around 2000 businesses are expected to turn their lights off for a short period to draw attention to their plight. (Source: Other)
"You’ve also got to look after your people as well. You can’t just run them to the ground, it’s not fair. You’re not going to keep them for long term …," she said around the possibility of cutting hours.
In the face of such struggles, hospitality business owners around the country turned their lights out on Tuesday for two minutes.
The Restaurant Association of New Zealand is calling for the Government to again extend employer assisted work visa holders so businesses can retain their existing migrant workforces, allow border exceptions for those in hospitality and extend working hours for those on student visas.
It had created a petition in the hopes the Government would acknowledge the skill shortage.
CEO Marisa Bidois said the sector needed 20,000 workers over the next five years.
SHARE ME