Restamax starts cooperation negotiations affecting nearly 1,000 employees
Restamax operates more than 200 restaurants in Finland and about ten in Denmark.
Cooperation negotiations affect those nearly 1,000 restaurant workers who were previously employed by Royal Restaurants.
Restamax, with its origins in Tampere and specialised in restaurant business and staffing services, bought Greater Helsinki Area based Royal Restaurants in June. Many famous restaurants including Palace, Savoy, Elite, Teatteri and a few Sandros, were thereby transferred to its portfolio. Some of Restamax’s concepts include Stefan’s Steakhouse and Viihdemaailma Ilona (entertainment world), among others.
Restamax’s announcement to start cooperation negotiations last Friday didn’t necessarily come as a surprise to its employees. The extent of them might have been a surprise though. The negotiations concern all employees of the former Royal Restaurants, i.e. staff of approximately 70 restaurants. The negotiations do not concern restaurant and kitchen managers with accountability for results. In addition, Restamax’s and Royal Restaurants’ administrations will be merged and any overlaps abolished.
The employer wants to adjust the restaurant employees’ working conditions to gain more flexibility. Tasks may be rearranged and increased part-time employment, temporary lay-offs and even dismissals may come into play if restaurants are closed down. According to Restamax CEO Aku Vikström cooperation negotiations respond to the strongly fluctuating demand between different days of the week and hours of the day.
“Our target is to employ more part-time staff during peak periods”, Vikström says.
The same employee could, according to Vikström, work in several restaurants of the Group and, in that way, work more hours. The new operating model is being developed together with staff of each restaurant, as the situation varies a lot between the restaurants.
According to press release, Restamax Group employs some 3,500 people in full-time equivalents (FTE). Smile Henkilöstöpalvelut (staffing services), a subsidiary of Restamax, employs 9,000 workers each month. Restamax Plc aims at achieving savings of at least 6 MEUR by measures included in the cooperation negotiations.
PAM Communications did not reach Restamax’s Chief Shop Steward Tapio Ojala for commenting the negotiations which will start this Wednesday for restaurant staff.
Text:: Marja Ikkala