Missing in action: Building a case for culturally diverse osh committees in new zealand hotels

The hospitality sector in New Zealand is characterised by high turnover, long hours and a diverse workforce. Rather than being perceived as problematic, these aspects are usually regarded as cultural norms in the industry. In addition to these conditions, common occupational safety and health issues for employees in the industry include intense emotional labour, physical and verbal abuse from customers, and physical injury. These concerns are not always addressed in the workplace, despite employee participation in occupational safety and health being legislated for in New Zealand. This paper presents findings from in-depth interviews with employee representatives on occupational safety and health committees in the hospitality industry. The paper considers why those committees may, or may not, be effective for what is an increasingly diverse workforce. The findings suggest that existing occupational safety and health committees do not adequately address the needs and representation of diverse employees in the industry.