A hotel chain in Manitoba has been ordered to pay over $100,000 to three foreign workers following the rejection of the company’s appeal by the province’s labour board. The Western Star Inn & Suites failed to provide supporting documents and presented unreliable witnesses in response to claims made by the workers at its Melita location, according to the Manitoba Labour Board’s decision.
The labour board’s ruling, which came after seven days of hearings where concerning testimonies were heard regarding the treatment of employees, highlighted issues such as long work hours, stressful working conditions, and inadequate training and staffing. Reports from last year revealed that some foreign workers at the hotel chain in Saskatchewan were working seven days a week for up to 12 hours a day on average.
One of the affected workers, Victor Padilla Ruiz from Mexico, alleged that the hotel exploited him by not fulfilling promises of helping him obtain legal status in Canada. The board noted witnesses testifying about unmet promises of work permits and safety concerns, although its jurisdiction was limited to Manitoba labour code violations and unpaid wages.
The board criticized Western Star for presenting witnesses whose statements were deemed unreliable and inconsistent. The decision highlighted discrepancies in the payroll manager’s statements, describing them as “illogical and inconsistent.” The board also pointed out that crucial witnesses were not called upon by Western Star during the proceedings.
The owed amounts to the workers were determined by an employment standards officer following an investigation in 2024, with minor revisions. Padilla Ruiz was to receive over $86,500, while two other workers, Montserrat Del Toro and Rajbinder Gill Mathias, were entitled to around $23,100 and $28,300, respectively.
The board outlined that Del Toro, a Mexican national working irregularly and sometimes in cash, was paid below the minimum wage. Del Toro, who performed various duties at Western Star, including housekeeping and front desk tasks, testified to working long hours every day. The decision specified that claims related to work in Saskatchewan were outside the board’s jurisdiction, and Del Toro expressed satisfaction with the Manitoba ruling while waiting for a decision in Saskatchewan.
Ineligibility to hire temporary foreign workers under a federal program was imposed on Western Star in May due to unpaid monetary penalties. Immigration and Citizenship Canada’s list of non-compliant employers cited the company for failing to meet conditions for employing foreign workers and violating laws related to hiring and recruiting practices. The company faced a fine of $3,250 for these violations.