A hotel chain in Manitoba has been ordered by the provincial labour board to pay over $100,000 to three foreign workers following the denial of the company’s appeal. The Western Star Inn & Suites, located in Melita, failed to provide sufficient evidence and called unreliable witnesses in their defense against claims made by the employees, the Manitoba Labour Board stated in a recent decision.
During a seven-day hearing, the labour board received testimonies highlighting concerns about the treatment of employees at the hotel, including long work hours, stressful working conditions, and lack of adequate training and staffing. Previous reports by CBC News revealed that some foreign workers at the hotel chain in Saskatchewan worked excessively long hours, up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
One of the workers, Victor Padilla Ruiz from Mexico, accused the hotel of exploiting him by failing to fulfill promises of legal status in Canada. While the witnesses brought by Western Star attempted to contradict the workers’ claims, the board found their testimonies unreliable, pointing out inconsistencies in their statements.
The labour board determined that the hotel mismanaged its operations, as highlighted by the payroll manager’s illogical and inconsistent statements. The board also noted the absence of key witnesses in the case. The workers were owed varying amounts, with Padilla Ruiz set to receive over $86,500, while Montserrat Del Toro and Rajbinder Gill Mathias were entitled to around $23,100 and $28,300, respectively.
Gill Mathias, who hails from India, raised concerns about being moved to multiple locations and working under improper conditions. She emphasized the need for stricter oversight of employers to prevent similar exploitation cases. Del Toro, a Mexican national, was found to have been paid below the minimum wage and irregularly, with part of her claimed wages falling outside the board’s jurisdiction.
Following the ruling, Western Star was deemed ineligible to hire temporary foreign workers due to outstanding penalties. Immigration and Citizenship Canada listed the company as non-compliant for failing to meet conditions for employing foreign workers and violating laws related to employee hiring and recruitment in the region. The company was fined $3,250 for these violations.