Up-market Perth restaurants have been forced to recruit wait staff from Europe and South America because of the State’s labour shortage, with bidding wars erupting between rival restaurants offering $30 an hour as part of generous salary packages. C Restaurant general manager Andrew Hemstock said most of the restaurant’s 80 table staff were French because he had been unsuccessful finding enough skilled locals, despite extensive advertising. Demand for wait staff had soared over the past year and it was now “open season” between restaurants, with many poaching staff from rival venues. To attract and retain staff he had abandoned casual employment in favour of salary packages that included bonuses, free meals, regular days off and team-building exercises such as paintball and football. “The employee most of the time is in a powerful position,” Mr Hemstock said. “They can walk out one door and straight in another door on the same day.” Jackson’s manager Kjell-Ove Almeland said the Highgate restaurant’s total salary package had increased 20 per cent over the past year. “We keep pinching people from other restaurants, especially in the fine-dining market,” Mr Almeland said. Jackson’s staff had also been approached by rivals. The West Australian (Perth), June 21
Jun 30
