Manitoba labour board orders Western Star to pay over $100,000 to three foreign staff
The Manitoba Labour Board denied Western Star Inn & Suites' appeal and mandated payment of more than $100,000 to three foreign workers for unpaid wages.
In a written ruling, the Manitoba Labour Board dismissed Western Star Inn & Suites' appeal concerning wage claims by three foreign employees at its Melita hotel. The board described the chain's witnesses as unreliable and pointed to numerous violations, such as long workdays, inadequate staffing and insufficient training. Victor Padilla Ruiz, a Mexican national, was awarded just over $86,500, while Montserrat Del Toro and Rajbinder Gill Mathias received roughly $23,100 and $28,300 respectively.
The tribunal criticized payroll manager Amrinder Singh Gill for illogical statements and highlighted the hotel's inability to confirm that workers held valid permits. The employer was also ordered to refund $11,500 taken from Mathias's bank account. Western Star had previously been deemed ineligible for the federal temporary foreign worker program and fined for related infractions.
Why it matters
The ruling exposes how some employers exploit foreign workers, prompting stricter enforcement of labour and immigration rules.
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