Palm Heights staff strike

(CMR) Disgruntled employees of Palm Heights Hotel on West Bay Road reportedly walked off the job on Friday over low gratuity payments and poor working conditions. The hotel, which has marketed itself as Cayman’s go-to boutique hotel, has been plagued by complaints, with the latest from staff who said they are being overworked, underpaid, and disrespected.

According to CMR sources, staff members have complained that despite the hotel continuing to receive celebrity guests, such as Usher, Gigi Hadid,  and Justin Beiber, along with his wife recently, their pay is not increasing, and they dod not appear to be receiving the gratuities due to them by law.

One source revealed that when workers ask why gratuity payments do not reflect the quality of guests, they are told most of the services provided by the hotel are offered to these guests without a charge.

The workers are expected to meet with management on Monday to discuss ongoing complaints about gratuity payments and general compensation. However, the complaints are not just disputes over pay, but staff also are complaining that the management is increasingly disrespectful, showing nepotism for hired family members and single out Caymanians to mistreat and call them names.

The staff has reached out to CMR with numerous complaints stating that they are constantly being belittled and called disparaging names by management. When they dare to complain, they have their hours cut and, in some instances, are claiming constructive dismissal – where the antics are forcing them to quit their jobs.

“Good morning, Miss sandra, we need your help to make our voice be heard.”

Despite attracting some A-listers, the pay and working conditions are said to be third-world. One worker shared that celebrities are invited to stay at the property to gain recognition for Palm Heights, but they are treated horribly:

“Justin Bieber and the wife were from Thursday to Tuesday and they had the people working like animals.  😔😔😔”

The employees have specifically complained about management in the housekeeping department, particularly the housekeeping supervisor, Sunil Malla, and Jimena García Urbina, the new manager of housekeeping.

Malla is being accused of hiring his wife, nephew, and niece to all work on the same team. It was shared that “he likes to create chaos because he wants his wife to be the only supervisor.” It was also divulged that they have been overheard discussing how they can bring additional family members from Nepal.

Urbina is said to be from Ecuador but Cayman to the Cayman Islands via England just several months ago. However, in that short time, she is being accused of subjecting staff to demeaning requests and racism. In a video released on social media, it was said that she told a black Jamaican lady to get on her knees and scrub the sixth-floor tiles. They inquired if they could use the mop instead and were told no, that they could not.

Subsequent to that, another employee of a different complexion was permitted to use a power washer to clean the floor. She has also been directly accused of calling Caymanians derogatory names like “turtle, dumb and old.”

Staff were even recently told that they would have money deducted from their pay to have a broken AC unit repaired. Sources also revealed that the hotel has taken issue with staff eating breakfast on the property, with workers being told they are expected to eat from home in the mornings and no meals will be provided to them, nor can they be seen eating on the property.

Financial complaints have plagued the hotel for some time now. Staff are also sharing that they have been on the receiving end of that and that despite making contributions to their pension plans since last year, no employer contributions have been made to their CG Britcay pension accounts.

Palm Heights have been featured on CMR’s The Cold Hard Truth over their refusal to pay local contractors and vendors – with some claiming they are owed significant amounts. For the past week, the generator has been running non-stop, and the persistent rumor is that it is due to non-payment of their electricity bill with Caribbean Utility Company.

TUNE IN MONDAY FOR A FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE ISSUES!

The property that Palm Heights operates out of is owned by Dart Enterprises, but it is leased out to a third party, Gabriella Khalil. She is listed as the founder and creative director of Palm Heights.