Kerala’s key industries suffer from a labor shortage

Due to their attention being diverted from attending a study camp in Ponmudi on Monday, over half of the members of the Kerala Hotel & Restaurant Association (KHRA) missed it.

Due to the large number of migrants coming home to vote in the general election, the food industry, which depends largely on them, is facing a dilemma.

Members who were not present at the camp express fear that the labor shortage may force them to close their stores. There is a serious issue affecting the hotel business. About 60–80% of the employees have departed, according to KHRA President G Jayapal.

The majority of workers in this industry are from West Bengal and the northeast. The industry mostly relies on migrant laborers to assist with cooking and cleaning.

“This season’s widespread absences are unprecedented. The majority of them mentioned the CAA and family pressure as justifications for their votes to take vacation, Jayapal said, adding that some of the workers took flights home.

The number of employees began to decline on April 15. Additionally, hotels are worried that this labor won’t probably come back right away after their state’s election.

According to manpower consultancy agencies, the effects of staff shortages go beyond hotels and include the construction, logistics, and manufacturing industries in addition to salons and stationary stores.

For the last month, the migrants have been traveling in groups of 20 to 50 people. It would be difficult to replace them, according to Ernakulam-based contract labor provider Business India Outsourcing’s Antony X P.

“People from Odisha and Bihar work hard labor, while people from Assam and the northeastern states are mostly employed in hotels and as receptionists.”

According to an official, the firm has supplied around 1,330 workers to 30 businesses.

In Kerala, one in four workers are now migrants, who make a substantial economic contribution. The Center for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID) claims that they spend around <15,000 crore a year on supporting the unorganized sector.

The state will come to a complete stop if a sizable portion of the migrants depart. However, such a tendency does not yet exist, according to CMID executive director Benoy Peter.