The president of the Spanish Hospitality Business Confederation, José Luis Yzuelapologized for an intervention in which he ironicized about the working hours in his sector, saying that “all our lives in hospitality we have done half a day: from 12 to 12.”
In an intervention on the program ‘Everything is a lie’ reported by Servimedia, Yzuel stated that it was a “joke” and a “blunder”, although he defended that “of course” you can work a twelve-hour day because the law “may allow” If the company compensates the worker.
The representative of the hoteliers acknowledged having “messed up” in “an environment of seriousness” since his intervention was part of a conference organized by the Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises (Cepyme).
Yzuel said he felt “disgusted” and “sad” because his intervention “affects everyone” who is part of the hospitality industry. “I will have to be more careful, not make jokes and speak seriously as we usually do,” he stressed.
The businessman wanted to frame his comment in that a “longer” conversation in which he was defending that “You can work 10 hours and 12 hours during high season” because the legislation “allows it.” However, he stressed that “those who work must be compensated, their agreement must be respected, if they can be paid generously and, if not, compensated with holidays and vacations.”