Open-air pools in Bavaria had to close last summer due to a lack of staff or restrict opening times – according to the state association of swimming champions, things look even worse for the future. “The prospects are very bleak. In ten years, not so many pools will be open, definitely,” said Ralf Großmann, chairman of the association in Meitingen.
The problem does not only affect the summer. “The shortage of staff is also noticeable in the indoor pool season. But it is carried out on the backs of the individual employee, insofar as he works more,” said Großmann. If the outdoor pools then opened, the gaps would clearly come to light. “In my opinion, the shortage has gotten even bigger because more people have left the job.”
Above all, the unattractive pay, but also the high workload, the duty rosters that were often changed at short notice and the working hours, including evenings and weekends, deterred many, said Großmann. For years, the newly trained lifeguards have not been able to meet the needs of the dropouts. In addition, many lifeguards are about to retire.
Simply using fewer staff to supervise the pool edge is not a solution, emphasized Großmann. “Anything lower is an absolute no-go, because people should feel safe in the bathroom.” “No mayor or plant manager or even the individual shift manager will accept that he is alone with 3,000 people”. After all, they are responsible for the safety of bathers. “People come to the baths because there is supervision. There are accidents involving drowning, but then first aid and everything is there. Safety is the be-all and end-all with us.”
According to Großmann, there is only one solution to ensure this in the long term: “You have to go beyond the salary. That’s the biggest starting point, that you increase it more.” Many employees are paid according to the collective agreement of the public service, after three years of training they start with around 2200 euros gross – with often great responsibility for the entire shift right from the start.
“The requirements are high. Everyone thinks they just have to stand there at the edge of the pool and then go swimming, we have technology, chemistry, medical expertise, laws – the profession already includes a lot in its diversity,” said Großmann. “In practice, it starts with the caretaker and ends with the psychologist for the bathers.” Anyone with a degree in their pocket is highly sought after on the job market. “You don’t even have to apply to us anymore, you get a call asking if you don’t want to go somewhere else.”