We must reconstruct our hotel!

By Kikki - Last updated: 木曜日, 4月 7, 2011 - Save & Share - Leave a Comment

[From my stricken home town ‘Ofunato’-East Japan Earthquake & Tsunami Disaster]

Laid off staff voluntarily participated to clear up their working place

Laid off staff are trying to put muddy floor of hotel guest rooms and damaged kitchen in order

We must reconstruct our place of work

The Grate East Japan Earthquake caused severe damage to one of the famed local hotels ‘Ofunato Plaza Hotel’ which has still left closed its business. Mr. Naohisa Sakurad (60), the owner of the hotel, laid off his 47 employees under the precondition for reemployment after its reconstruction. He has stepped forward to reconstruct his hotel as soon as possible.

On March 30, about 30 laid off staff voluntarily came back to the hotel for putting it in order after the disaster. They were joined with Mr. Sakurada at 8:30 in the morning and started removing garbage from the kitchen and carry unhurt equipment and fixtures out of the guest rooms.

The late Mr. Fukuji Sakurada, the father of the present owner, founded the hotel in 1948. More than 30,000 guests stay in the hotel annually mainly on business and sightseeing in summer.

The tsunami flooded up to the 3rd of the five-story hotel building

The tsunami flooded up to the 3^rd of the five-story hotel building and 28 people including hotel staff had been left on the rooftop until 14:00 on the following day, March 12. The hotel is only 50 meters far from the port of Ofunato, so its 1^st floor where reception and main restaurant are laid out was completely washed away and became empty in the skeleton.

Reemployment of 47 staff are secured by the owner

Mr. Sakurada was terribly distressed by the disaster for his business. ‘How can I protect employees’ living while the hotel won’t be able to get revenue?’

He finally decided that all hotel staff should be laid off temporary, excluding 4 who have no qualification to be recipients of unemployment insurance. He explained and persuaded them personally and promised reemployment.

Promise on employment after the reconstruction of the hotel is also notified to 2 would be staff from April.

He already had a meeting with architect a week after the disaster occurred for earthquake-resistant construction and renovation of the hotel.

Ms. Mika Sato (29) who participated for cleaning of stricken hotel said, ‘We really like to reconstruct our hotel, because we love our place of work so much.’

‘We must not succumb to the tsunami!’ Ms. Atsuko Yoshida (60), an acting peace-maker of service staff expressed.

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