End the "Contract Break" System: Fair Labor Protections for Jamaica's Hotel Workers
End the "Contract Break" System: Fair Labor Protections for Jamaica's Hotel Workers
The Issue
THE PROBLEM: SHORT-TERM CONTRACT CYCLING
Thousands of Jamaica's hotel workers are trapped in a cycle of repeated short-term contracts lasting 3-6 months. When contracts expire, workers are temporarily released for days or weeks, then rehired under new temporary agreements. This "contract break" system continues indefinitely, sometimes for years or decades, without ever converting to permanent employment.
Why do hotels do this?
By keeping workers on temporary contracts, hotels avoid paying: - Pension contributions - Comprehensive health insurance - Severance pay upon termination - Accumulated sick leave and vacation benefits - Maternity and paternity leave - Long-term employment protections
Temporary workers have virtually no job security, making them far less likely to report unsafe working conditions, request fair wages, or file complaints about mistreatment. This creates a workforce that is economically vulnerable, legally unprotected, and systematically exploited.
THE EXPLOITATION
Jamaica's tourism industry generated $4.3 billion USD in 2024, built on the backs of housekeepers, bartenders, cooks, servers, maintenance workers, and groundskeepers, the very people who receive the least protection under current labor laws.
The reality: - Workers serve the same employer for 5, 7, or even 10 years through repeated short-term contracts - They provide excellent service that keeps guests returning to Jamaica - Yet they remain "temporary" employees with no pathway to permanency - When workers request time off for family emergencies, medical appointments, or ask about permanent positions, their contracts are often not renewed
This creates a culture of fear where speaking up means risking your livelihood.
51-YEAR-OLD LAWS: THE FAILURE TO REFORM
Jamaica's Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act was enacted on December 9, 1974—51 years ago.
Think about 1974: 1. No internet, cell phones, or email 2. Jamaica had just experienced the first oil crisis 3. Tourism was a fraction of what it is today 4. The global economy operated completely differently
Yet these are the laws still governing employment in Jamaica's largest economic sector in 2025.
Recent Government Failures to Act:
May 2025: Opposition Senator Lambert Brown called for a Parliamentary review of "abusive fixed-term employment contracts" in tourism. The government acknowledged the problem but introduced no legislation.
January 2024: The Jamaican Government warned employers "not to abuse fixed-term contracts," admitting abuse was rampant, but only asked for voluntary compliance instead of reforming the law.
May 2, 2019: Antigua & Barbuda passed their Labor Code Amendment Act (No. 9 of 2019), protecting hotel workers with the "two contract rule." Jamaica took no action despite having access to the same evidence and model legislation.
Year after year, regardless of political party, the government has failed to prioritize hospitality worker protection, even as tourism became Jamaica's economic lifeline.
CRISES EXPOSING THE FRAGILITY
· COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) When tourism stopped, at least 50,000 hospitality workers were laid off. While some permanent employees received support, contract workers were simply let go, no severance, no extended benefits, no safety net.
· Hurricane Melissa (October 2025) The Category 5 storm devastated Jamaica, claiming 28 lives and displacing 25,000 people. In its aftermath: 1. Bahia Principe announced redundancies affecting nearly 2,000 workers majority on fixed-term contracts. The company extended the closure of the Grand Jamaica property until December 1, 2026. 2. Hyatt Hotels suspended operations at 8 properties late, 2026, affecting thousands more
· Permanent staff received some support and reemployment assurances; many contract workers did not.
· Why does this keep happening? Jamaica's outdated labor laws provide inadequate protection for contract workers during emergencies. Hotels can legally terminate temporary employees without meaningful severance, regardless of how long they've actually worked there.
RECONSTRUCTION: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REFORM
Jamaica is currently rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa. History shows that post-crisis reconstruction periods are when the most significant policy reforms happen, after WWII, after the 2008 financial crisis, and after natural disasters worldwide.
This is Jamaica's moment.
As we reconstruct our tourism infrastructure, we have the opportunity to also reconstruct the legal framework governing worker treatment.
The question: Will our government rebuild the same exploitative system using 51-year-old laws, or use this moment to create something better?
WE CALL FOR SIX KEY LABOR REFORMS
1. ADOPT THE "TWO CONTRACT RULE" FROM ANTIGUA & BARBUDA Antigua & Barbuda's Labour Code (Amendment) Act, 2019 (No. 9 of 2019), Section C7A(5) states:
A contract worker shall be deemed to be a full-time employee if that worker's fixed-term contract—(a) has been renewed by the employer on two or more occasions after the initial issuance; and (b) the total contractual period for which the worker has been employed amounts in aggregate to one year or more.
Jamaica should adopt this provision. After two consecutive fixed-term contracts and one year of total service, hotel workers should automatically be converted to permanent staff by law.
2. MANDATE CORE BENEFITS FOR ALL WORKERS All hotel workers, regardless of contract type, must receive sick leave, vacation pay, maternity/paternity leave, pension contributions, health insurance, and severance protections.
3. STRENGTHEN UNIONIZATION RIGHTS Reform laws to make it easier for hospitality workers to organize and collectively bargain without fear of retaliation or contract non-renewal.
4. ESTABLISH A HOSPITALITY WORKERS' TRIBUNAL Create an independent body to hear complaints of unfair dismissal, wage disputes, unsafe working conditions, and contract manipulation.
5. PROHIBIT CONTRACT BREAK ABUSE. If a worker is rehired within 30 days of contract termination, it must be treated as continuous employment by law.
6. PROTECT WORKERS DURING EMERGENCIES Require hotels to provide severance pay, extended benefits, or reemployment guarantees to contract workers during natural disasters, pandemics, or economic downturns.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM REQUIRES MODERN LABOR LAWS
Fair treatment of workers is sound economic policy. Research demonstrates that secure, well-treated employees: 1. Provide superior guest experiences and service quality 2. Demonstrate greater loyalty and institutional knowledge 3. Require less turnover-related recruitment and training costs 4. Contribute to stronger destination reputations
You cannot build a 21st-century tourism industry on 1974 labor laws.
TAKE ACTION NOW
· By signing this petition, you are: - Standing with thousands of hotel workers who built Jamaica's $4.3 billion tourism industry - Supporting families who deserve stability, security, and dignity - Demanding that Jamaica replace 51-year-old employment laws with modern protections - Telling our government that workers who generate billions deserve better
· This petition will be delivered to: - The Prime Minister of Jamaica - The Minister of Labour and Social Security - The Minister of Tourism -The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) - International labor organizations monitoring Caribbean worker rights - Global media outlets covering labor rights and tourism industry practices
TOGETHER, WE CAN CREATE CHANGE
Jamaica's hotel workers have given so much to build our nation's tourism reputation. We've welcomed millions of visitors with warmth and professionalism. We've generated $4.3 billion for our economy.
We've earned better treatment. We've earned modern protections. We've earned dignity.
Please sign this petition today.
Share it with colleagues, friends, and family in hospitality. Post on social media with #EndContractBreak, #JamaicaWorkersUnite, and #ModernLabor2025.
The reconstruction of Jamaica's hospitality sector is underway. Let's rebuild it with 21st-century labor protections, not 51-year-old laws.
Thank you for standing with us.
171
The Issue
THE PROBLEM: SHORT-TERM CONTRACT CYCLING
Thousands of Jamaica's hotel workers are trapped in a cycle of repeated short-term contracts lasting 3-6 months. When contracts expire, workers are temporarily released for days or weeks, then rehired under new temporary agreements. This "contract break" system continues indefinitely, sometimes for years or decades, without ever converting to permanent employment.
Why do hotels do this?
By keeping workers on temporary contracts, hotels avoid paying: - Pension contributions - Comprehensive health insurance - Severance pay upon termination - Accumulated sick leave and vacation benefits - Maternity and paternity leave - Long-term employment protections
Temporary workers have virtually no job security, making them far less likely to report unsafe working conditions, request fair wages, or file complaints about mistreatment. This creates a workforce that is economically vulnerable, legally unprotected, and systematically exploited.
THE EXPLOITATION
Jamaica's tourism industry generated $4.3 billion USD in 2024, built on the backs of housekeepers, bartenders, cooks, servers, maintenance workers, and groundskeepers, the very people who receive the least protection under current labor laws.
The reality: - Workers serve the same employer for 5, 7, or even 10 years through repeated short-term contracts - They provide excellent service that keeps guests returning to Jamaica - Yet they remain "temporary" employees with no pathway to permanency - When workers request time off for family emergencies, medical appointments, or ask about permanent positions, their contracts are often not renewed
This creates a culture of fear where speaking up means risking your livelihood.
51-YEAR-OLD LAWS: THE FAILURE TO REFORM
Jamaica's Employment (Termination and Redundancy Payments) Act was enacted on December 9, 1974—51 years ago.
Think about 1974: 1. No internet, cell phones, or email 2. Jamaica had just experienced the first oil crisis 3. Tourism was a fraction of what it is today 4. The global economy operated completely differently
Yet these are the laws still governing employment in Jamaica's largest economic sector in 2025.
Recent Government Failures to Act:
May 2025: Opposition Senator Lambert Brown called for a Parliamentary review of "abusive fixed-term employment contracts" in tourism. The government acknowledged the problem but introduced no legislation.
January 2024: The Jamaican Government warned employers "not to abuse fixed-term contracts," admitting abuse was rampant, but only asked for voluntary compliance instead of reforming the law.
May 2, 2019: Antigua & Barbuda passed their Labor Code Amendment Act (No. 9 of 2019), protecting hotel workers with the "two contract rule." Jamaica took no action despite having access to the same evidence and model legislation.
Year after year, regardless of political party, the government has failed to prioritize hospitality worker protection, even as tourism became Jamaica's economic lifeline.
CRISES EXPOSING THE FRAGILITY
· COVID-19 Pandemic (2020) When tourism stopped, at least 50,000 hospitality workers were laid off. While some permanent employees received support, contract workers were simply let go, no severance, no extended benefits, no safety net.
· Hurricane Melissa (October 2025) The Category 5 storm devastated Jamaica, claiming 28 lives and displacing 25,000 people. In its aftermath: 1. Bahia Principe announced redundancies affecting nearly 2,000 workers majority on fixed-term contracts. The company extended the closure of the Grand Jamaica property until December 1, 2026. 2. Hyatt Hotels suspended operations at 8 properties late, 2026, affecting thousands more
· Permanent staff received some support and reemployment assurances; many contract workers did not.
· Why does this keep happening? Jamaica's outdated labor laws provide inadequate protection for contract workers during emergencies. Hotels can legally terminate temporary employees without meaningful severance, regardless of how long they've actually worked there.
RECONSTRUCTION: THE OPPORTUNITY FOR REFORM
Jamaica is currently rebuilding after Hurricane Melissa. History shows that post-crisis reconstruction periods are when the most significant policy reforms happen, after WWII, after the 2008 financial crisis, and after natural disasters worldwide.
This is Jamaica's moment.
As we reconstruct our tourism infrastructure, we have the opportunity to also reconstruct the legal framework governing worker treatment.
The question: Will our government rebuild the same exploitative system using 51-year-old laws, or use this moment to create something better?
WE CALL FOR SIX KEY LABOR REFORMS
1. ADOPT THE "TWO CONTRACT RULE" FROM ANTIGUA & BARBUDA Antigua & Barbuda's Labour Code (Amendment) Act, 2019 (No. 9 of 2019), Section C7A(5) states:
A contract worker shall be deemed to be a full-time employee if that worker's fixed-term contract—(a) has been renewed by the employer on two or more occasions after the initial issuance; and (b) the total contractual period for which the worker has been employed amounts in aggregate to one year or more.
Jamaica should adopt this provision. After two consecutive fixed-term contracts and one year of total service, hotel workers should automatically be converted to permanent staff by law.
2. MANDATE CORE BENEFITS FOR ALL WORKERS All hotel workers, regardless of contract type, must receive sick leave, vacation pay, maternity/paternity leave, pension contributions, health insurance, and severance protections.
3. STRENGTHEN UNIONIZATION RIGHTS Reform laws to make it easier for hospitality workers to organize and collectively bargain without fear of retaliation or contract non-renewal.
4. ESTABLISH A HOSPITALITY WORKERS' TRIBUNAL Create an independent body to hear complaints of unfair dismissal, wage disputes, unsafe working conditions, and contract manipulation.
5. PROHIBIT CONTRACT BREAK ABUSE. If a worker is rehired within 30 days of contract termination, it must be treated as continuous employment by law.
6. PROTECT WORKERS DURING EMERGENCIES Require hotels to provide severance pay, extended benefits, or reemployment guarantees to contract workers during natural disasters, pandemics, or economic downturns.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM REQUIRES MODERN LABOR LAWS
Fair treatment of workers is sound economic policy. Research demonstrates that secure, well-treated employees: 1. Provide superior guest experiences and service quality 2. Demonstrate greater loyalty and institutional knowledge 3. Require less turnover-related recruitment and training costs 4. Contribute to stronger destination reputations
You cannot build a 21st-century tourism industry on 1974 labor laws.
TAKE ACTION NOW
· By signing this petition, you are: - Standing with thousands of hotel workers who built Jamaica's $4.3 billion tourism industry - Supporting families who deserve stability, security, and dignity - Demanding that Jamaica replace 51-year-old employment laws with modern protections - Telling our government that workers who generate billions deserve better
· This petition will be delivered to: - The Prime Minister of Jamaica - The Minister of Labour and Social Security - The Minister of Tourism -The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) - International labor organizations monitoring Caribbean worker rights - Global media outlets covering labor rights and tourism industry practices
TOGETHER, WE CAN CREATE CHANGE
Jamaica's hotel workers have given so much to build our nation's tourism reputation. We've welcomed millions of visitors with warmth and professionalism. We've generated $4.3 billion for our economy.
We've earned better treatment. We've earned modern protections. We've earned dignity.
Please sign this petition today.
Share it with colleagues, friends, and family in hospitality. Post on social media with #EndContractBreak, #JamaicaWorkersUnite, and #ModernLabor2025.
The reconstruction of Jamaica's hospitality sector is underway. Let's rebuild it with 21st-century labor protections, not 51-year-old laws.
Thank you for standing with us.
171
The Decision Makers
Petition created on 11 December 2025