Comments on: Ex-Hospitality Workers Input Sought

By: ricky

ricky — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 16:44:45 +0000

I have read the comments presented here and can confirm as fact that what was presented by Tony is indeed 100% spot on. Again, 100% correct!! Xenophobia plays no part in this. Bermudians have to be the most accepting people in the world. We have approached a non-Bermudian workforce reaching approximately 26% under this government. They would be rioting in the streets if this was the case in many other countries!
The problem, Just Fishin, is that when we attempt to have mature conversation, the term xenophobic enters. That’s just plain weak and those of us that have spent any real time in the hotel industry know that to be the case.

By: just fishin'

just fishin' — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:33:07 +0000

Until such time as we can have a mature conversation; without getting personal, without being xenophobic, without blaming everyone else, and without presenting as fact pure conjecture based on second-hand rumours, we will never get this issue sorted out.

By: Truth is killin' me

Truth is killin' me — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:22:10 +0000

Pandering to the masses like something is actually getting done or is going to be done on the tourism front. And you want input from unemployed hotel workers!? That’s all this is. Karla Lacey…get a real job.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:03:29 +0000

Understand that total compensation is the issue. Many foreign hotel workers, including managers get to live in. Their base salary is slightly less than a live out employee which in turn makes their total compensation significantly better than their live out/ predominantly Bermudian counterpart. This is further amplified when the hotel is in lay off ( which is most of the year )and the live out employee is faced with the normal bills and those that live in get to go home, find temp jobs, and are not saddled with significant expenses upon their return.

This industry is not designed for Bermudians. Just isn’t.

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:35:31 +0000

Unfortunately working on weekends is part and parcel of the industry and has to be done. Bermudians need to embrace this industry and the govt must ensure that there is an industry left to embrace. Failing by both will lead to the eventual end of this other world that we falsely live in..

By: Tony

Tony — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:17:41 +0000

More discussions to be documented and filed away. Until there is a real, meaningful committment from foreign owners to advance the careers of qualified and or experienced Bermudians in this industry, the results will continue to be as is. Woeful and depressing.

Foreign senior managers were allowed in the late nineties and under this government to slice, dice and discard Bermudians. In turn, giddy politicians got to enjoy the residuals from GM’s and so the carnage began in earnest.

Wyndham Hotels is the only management group over the past 30 years to embrace, train and promote bermudians and they were very, very close to having an all Bermudian, black male, senior management team. The profits during that 2-3 year period are the best that property had seen for generations and as a result of some intriguing misinformation and self serving power play by influential advisors, the absentee landlords from Saudi Arabia were convinced to replace Wyndham with the prestigious Rafael Group and very quickly that senior team was replaced by managers from afar. The brilliant minds from Europe introduced all sorts of new ideas / promised a 5 STAR product that would entice the rich and famous and the results were disastrous. They were replaced by Mandarin and not much has changed..

Finally – The Fairmont ( and Immigration ) have to come clean on their personality assessment that has resulted in many, proven hoteliers being considered unsuitable for that chain. It is the most interesting exclusionary tactic and no matter how many accolades / excellent references/ outstanding appraisals you have, if you don’t survive their non transparent test you loose and they get to hire the person they want which is often a person that really enjoys maple…

By: Call as it is

Call as it is — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:20:58 +0000

Get rid of the Foreign General Managers that know next to nothing about Bermuda and yet they insist that they and only they are right in everything they say or implement in the Hotels on this Island.

Any new Hotel being built should ONLY be allowed IF the General Manager is a BERMUDIAN.
We have some very good Bermudian Resident Managers working in the Hotels already.

Pay??? DON’T get me started on that subject!!
everyone knows the pay is far too low.

By: mixitup

mixitup — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:00:31 +0000

No upward mobility, I mean how many “bermudians” are General Managers of “Major” properties? A bus boy who becomes a Captain in 20 years (not the Dining room manager) when you can give the same effort in the states and be a F&B Director in 10 Years. Low Pay, unsociable shifts, I mean who really wants to work every christmas, cupmatch etc.

By: Bermy

Bermy — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:36:34 +0000

Is this really rocket science? low wages, unsociable hours, and the high expectations to give your best…….not a great motivator…….