Whistler hotel must repay $85,000 in tips used for managers' wages
Credit to Author: Lynn Mitges| Date: Sun, 02 Feb 2020 01:11:08 +0000
The Fairmont Chateau Whistler has agreed to repay $85,000 in tips it withheld from its workers in its banquet department.
In a statement Wednesday from the United Food and Commercial Workers union, the hotel introduced a new tipping structure in 2018 where banquet staff tips were used to subsidize the wages of managers, in contravention of the Employment Standards Act.
The union said that workers several times objected to the practice.
“These workers tried in vain to address the issue themselves. But they couldn’t make the employer listen or obey the law. That’s when they called us,” said Patrick Johnson, Secretary-Treasurer of UFCW 1518.
According to banquet workers, the Fairmont took 20 per cent of the gratuities they earned, which were paid directly to catering sales managers.
The hotel agreed to voluntarily repay the full amount to about 60 employees.