My Breaking Point: Holiday Pay Denied a Pattern of Exploitation
To the Editor,
I am writing to share my deeply concerning experience working as a cleaner for the owner of a new, large establishment encompassing a restaurant, bar, and lounge area, which I understand opened in November.
My initial interview involved another individual showing me the cleaning duties, which the owner also verbally outlined. He stated a rate of $150 per day, with a reduced rate of $125 for the first month, and assured me of weekly payments every Tuesday upon receipt of an invoice. However, in the three months I have been employed, I have only been paid on one Tuesday. When I noted the seemingly high turnover of cleaning staff—he mentioned having had four cleaners before me—he insisted it was not due to any fault of his. Given the expansive nature of the premises, with numerous glass doors and various large areas, the workload is considerable.
Within two weeks of starting, the owner began adding extra tasks to my responsibilities. These included the arduous job of scrubbing three sets of staircases, each with over twelve steps, as well as climbing to clean light fixtures and ceiling fans, along with a growing list of other duties. Initially, for these additional tasks, I would bring an assistant and charge $150 for what we termed an “extra day,” typically a Monday when the business was closed. After approximately a month, the owner stated he no longer wished to pay for these extra days but expected the same tasks to be incorporated into my regular cleaning schedule. I informed him that I would need to consider this.
Subsequently, he asked me to take home and wash six large industrial sofa covers. I agreed and proceeded to do so, incurring personal expenses for heavy-duty laundry detergent, color-safe bleach (costing around $30 to remove stains), and fabric softener. The task also required taxi journeys to transport the bulky covers. When I invoiced him $250 for this service, he protested, claiming it was too expensive and that he had hoped to pay only $5 per cover. I explained the significant effort and costs involved, reducing my price to $200, which he reluctantly paid. He took the remaining cleaning product I offered him.
A troubling pattern of behavior began to emerge. When I requested necessary cleaning supplies, such as a glass cleaning tool, the owner would assure me he had ordered them, yet these items never materialized. I was consistently left to manage with inadequate resources.
Furthermore, obtaining my due wages became a constant struggle, requiring me to repeatedly follow up with him. On one occasion, after numerous attempts to get paid, I received a long-overdue check on a Sunday. I placed it securely in my pocket, only for it to later be found at Cornally Carpark, a location I had not visited. This incident felt bizarre and unsettling. When I informed them that the check was not in my possession and inquired about canceling it and issuing a new one, I was told there would be a $50 charge and that I would have to wait three weeks before a replacement could be issued. Ironically, the original check was found and returned to them within three days, yet they still insisted on the three-week waiting period. I waited patiently.
The final indignity, and the reason I felt compelled to write to you today on Easter Friday, was the owner’s demand that I work on the holiday while refusing to pay me the legally required holiday pay after the work was completed. This blatant disregard for fair labour practices and our agreement was the breaking point. I informed him that I needed to be compensated for working on a public holiday, as he had requested, but he remained adamant in his refusal.
I believe it is important for the country to be aware of such exploitative practices as we celebrate Labour Day.
Sincerely,
J. S.
Custodian
Editor’s Note: We have left out the name of the restaurant because we haven’t been able to reach the owner for comment.
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I could feel your pain! Employers would employ workers and most times you don’t want to go to work because it’s frustrating. From adding duties to long wait for salaries I would say a prayer before I enter my work place . This is a lot for for the writer . This is abuse of power. Wicked set of people !!! Remember all you bosses no matter how much you robbed your workers when you are affected with a deadly disease money can’t save you
If this person was anything to me, as god as my witness I’ll have you beaten like a dog! He is wicked and has no regard for people’s services. I remember working for someone who had the same behavior but I quit ahead of time before something bad happened.
Who wrote this for? Given your language skills, you should be commanding instead of groveling on your work site. Do you have a problem with written contracts in which job specs could be clearly outligned and detailed and not made up as you go along For someone who sounds so articulate, it is a pity that you have to publicly demonstrate your own basic ignorance – of procedures and processes, that is.
So tell me, exactly what would you like John Public to do for you?
Oh…yes, Because of these Unscrupulous, kleptomaniac, Powe-struggled employers when entering into any new business venture. It is crucial to avoid taking individuals or verbal agreements at face value.
To safeguard your interests, ensure that all terms and conditions of any business arrangement are clearly documented in a legally binding written contract. This proactive measure can help prevent potentially protecting you against wicked and manipulated employers to fulfilled promises.
This happens to me, so I want to share that othe don’t fall in the say predicament. written contract, before don’t waiting untill you start it . Regrettably, this contract never materialized, leading to potential detriment. This situation underscores the importance of formalizing all business agreements in writing to mitigate risks and ensure clarity for all parties involved.
You learned as you go along