Please take a few minutes to read and sign this petition which covers an issue very close to our hearts at Tignes Spirit Rentals. Approximately 25,000 Brits will lose their right to freedom of movement and with that their working rights within the EU after the 31st December 2020 unless we act now! This is likely to have devastating effects on the Snowsports Industry.
Every year Brits are working abroad throughout both the winter and summer seasons in many EU holiday destinations. They are responsible for arranging your package holiday, meeting and greeting you when you arrive abroad and looking after you throughout your stay. Jobs such as holiday reps, snowsports instructors, climbing instructors, mountain bike instructors, rental staff, ski technicians, workshop technicians, hotel staff, restaurant staff, bartenders, nannies, transfer drivers to name just a few will be affected by this change. These jobs will be lost if there is a no deal Brexit or we fail to negotiate a way for seasonal workers to carry on working in the EU.
You may have seen a few articles recently published on Whitelines, in The Times, The Mail Online and The Guardian which cover this topic. We feel it’s important to point out for many this is not just a Gap Year or a bit of fun it’s a career path. It has given many the chance to work and live in wonderful places throughout the EU that would be completely unaffordable to them otherwise. This is their life, they don’t have a different career to fall back on. In lots of cases after all that training, hard work and years of experience they will have to start their careers over.
This petition is an important step and will hopefully get the ball rolling. The next step will be to make sure those over the age of 34 also keep these opportunities.
Please watch this video which gives a great insight into the seasonal workers point of view.
Over here in Tignes Covid has had a huge impact, staying afloat has been hard forcing some companies into Administration. The loss of freedom of movement and working rights for Brits will add to this impact with potentially devastating results. Many companies recruit the vast majority of their staff from the UK. This process will become very difficult after Brexit. Some rely heavily on British clientele but may be forced to increase holiday prices for their clientele to survive.
Here at Tignes Spirit Rentals around 80% of our seasonal staff are currently seconded from the UK. From 18 year olds on their first season away from home to the 50 something lifer who has made this their career! Many return year after year. Their friends and family come to visit them each season and use our shop and other local businesses. We find many of our British client’s return to use our shop year after year because of the customer service our staff provide.
Laws following Brexit could mean that it is set to be a difficult and expensive process to employ staff from the UK. This may mean it will not be practical to continue to do so for businesses or workers. This unfortunately for Tignes Spirit Rentals and other British companies this may lead to closure.
We ask you to support this petition to call on the UK government to reconsider its position on freedom of movement and working rights for Brits in the EU after Brexit. Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction to make the government sit up and take notice and SAVE OUR SEASON!
What can I do to help?
1 Sign this petition
2. Watch the video
3. Checkout the SBIT (Seasonal Business in Travel) links below
4. Share them with your friends and family and on social media
The guardian article SBIT tweet
