‘Our primary concern is staff’
“I WOULD like to confirm that the Misty Blue Hotels regards the staff as their primary assets and are deeply concerned at the allegations raised.
It would not be our standard practice to respond to such allegation in the media and feel that the issues raised below are operational issues that should be resolved internally.
In the interest of transparency we have opted to share with you our response to the allegations made.
We remain of the opinion though that the allegations are defamatory and untrue and reserve our rights in terms of any damages caused by the unnecessary publication of such an article.
Mr Pillay has appointed a management team at the support office to lead, guide and direct the operations of Misty Blue Hotels. The management team is tasked with addressing all operational issues which include staffing issues.
Whilst Mr Pillay remains continually appraised of all issues and has a personal interest in all of the businesses he owns; he also entrusts the running of Misty Blue Hotels to the management team he has appointed to run the business on his behalf.
A process of centralisation and proactive right sizing has been taking place to ensure that the business can run at optimum efficiencies in order to preserve the hotel operations and the sustainability of the business.
In a tough economy the business’ management prefer to be proactive in managing the labour pool to be more flexible in adjusting to relevant business volumes.
We have dedicated productivity standards in order to measure the performance output of each staff member.
In the hospitality industry we deal with fluctuating demands in occupancies and believe we need to adjust our labour pool accordingly. An example of this would be that one room attendant would be required to clean a set number of occupied rooms as opposed to a set number of rooms irrelevant of their occupancy. Similar equations would be for the waitering staff and kitchen staff or any staff which is influenced by business demands.
In December, the company embarked on a consultation process with its employees in order to implement short time for the period of December and January.
The company, however, ensured that all its employees were given the opportunity to exhaust all leave owed to them over this period of time to mitigate the impact of short time to its employees.
During this period a select number of employees embarked on a protected strike due to a wage dispute, this was on a no work, no pay basis.
Once the employees notified the management that they terminated their strike, the employer subsequently lifted the lockout and the employees were welcomed back to work.
Other than those two incidents, the company is of the opinion that the employees have been paid exactly in accordance to the contract of employment.
Our chef, whilst responsible for food and beverage and kitchens, serves as a duty manager in the hotel on occasion. However, our rooms division manager is officially the second in charge in the absence of the general manager / hotel operations manager.
Whilst resignation of the food and beverage manager remains a confidential process between employer and employee and not something I would choose to debate in any public forum; I am of the opinion that the allegations regarding him having to pay for the crockery and cutlery is certainly not true. This is certainly not a directive from any of the company senior management nor something that has been actioned.
The allegation of the suicide being prevented had there been more security on site remains speculative.
The matter has been investigated by the South African Police service.”
During this period a select number of employees embarked on a protected strike due to a wage dispute, this was on a no work, no pay basis.
| ERNST-JAN HILTEMANN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, IMPERIAL HOTEL