It is hoped that dine-in services will be able to resume soon since catering workers have recently been faced with intensifying survival pressures, head of the Catering Industry Workers Association of Macau (Associação de Operários “Iam Sek Ip Kong Vui” de Macau) said.
The city is currently under consolidation period restrictions with certain businesses allowed to resume with limited capacity. Although restaurants have been operating, only takeaway services have been available.
In the first week or so of this wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections, which started June 18, the government encouraged local dining establishments to suspend dine-in services, arguing that people not wearing masks in confined spaces would pose risks to city’s battle against the coronavirus.
As the situation developed, the government issued an Executive Order to officially ban all dine-in services, leaving only takeaway available. Those caterers who had not started using food delivery apps signed up for this service so as to continue their businesses. Other caterers, meanwhile, redeployed their dine-in service teams to delivering takeaway orders.
Under these circumstances, So Wai Leong, executive director of the Association, emphasized that the dine-in ban had had a significant impact on Chinese restaurants and small eateries. The ban has left a large proportion of their staff unemployed, underemployed or forced to take unpaid leave.
In combination with the relatively low salaries across the industry, workers are feeling confused about their livelihood and the future. So disclosed that the association had received several requests for assistance due to the situation.
So suggested the government allow limited resumption of dine-in services, so as to ease the burden on the shoulders of industry workers.
Speaking about the upcoming financial subsidies, So hopes that the money will come soon. Moreover, he hopes the government will be able to determine an economic revival plan so as to resuscitate the economy.
