The humiliating waiters serving tourists chest-deep in water shocked netizens, reports the GreekReporter..
According to Greek media, the incident occurred on one of the beaches of the popular Greek island of Rhodes – in a bar on the famous beach of Agia Marina, located on the northeast coast of the Greek island, about 4 km south of the capital of Rhodes.
The scandalous video published on the network caused a lot of questions and negative reviews. The footage shows how a young waiter holds a tray in his hand and almost swims trying to reach customers in equipped recreation areas at sea. Some observers have likened such service to “medieval working conditions”.
The viral video also caught the attention of local authorities, who launched an investigation in response to public outcry. They began to check the legality of the construction of floating structures on the seashore and the observance of the labor rights of employees. During the investigation of the incident, it turned out that the manager of the dining room of the Greek Parliament is in charge of the bar.
Greek Labor Minister Adonis Georgiadis condemned the incident.
“The era of slavery is over! The incident caught on camera is disgusting. I sent inspectors to the bar as soon as I saw the footage. We all need to understand that the era of slavery is over. Employees are not slaves, they are people with rights. We are here to monitor for compliance with the rules. And any businessman who pretends to forget about this will be ruthlessly punished by the law. I want to be clear. I want to have tourism, and all this with full respect for workers’ rights,” he said.
Speaking to MEGA TV, the beach bar owner said it was an “isolated incident” posted on social media by a competitor.
Ρε σεις ; Που ζούμε; Άμεση παρέμβαση από την κυβέρνηση τώρα #Ρόδος pic.twitter.com/5PANl4QPEs
— Daskalakis Manolis (@emdaskalakis) July 1, 2023
He added that the young waiter, who has been working for him for the past five years, did not complain. For his work, he receives 3,000 euros a month, he stressed.
“His suit is waterproof, but I know the video was posted by a fake profile of a competitor who wanted to harm me and slander my business. The Coast Guard did a series of checks on my property and found nothing illegal. The inspectors asked employees if I force them to enter the sea and they said they were doing it for the best tips,” he said.
The waiter himself and the hero of the sensational video confirmed to reporters that he does not complain about his work.
“I don’t mind this kind of work. That’s how I get tips – up to 200 euros a day,” he said in an interview with local media.