– My employers have shown that they have no empathy or respect for their employees and their families, says Yoci Bravo. She is one of the former hotel employees who demand that Gondolin Hotels & Resorts make amends. – I am angry, worried, stressed and sad. I only expect them to do what is right and just; to pay us, we who trusted them and worked very hard for them, says Bravo. With help from Fellesforbundet, Bravo will now go to court to be paid close to NOK 100,000 to which she believes she is entitled. – For several months, Gondolin has owed me both salary and holiday pay, says Yoci Bravo. Yoci Bravo moved to Norway to get a job and income, but the idyll broke. Photo: Privat Gondolin Hotels & Resorts is, among other things, behind the operation of Wadahl Høgfjellshotell in Gålå, Skinnarbu Nasjonalparkhotell in Telemark and the now closed Eidsbugarden hotel in Valdres. The company is wholly owned by Gondolin Group AS, where the Oslo-based lawyer and investor Erlend Follegg controls all shares. Chef feels used Polish Rafal Adam Lewandrowski worked for ten months as chef at three of Gondolin’s hotels, including Skinnarbu Nasjonalparkhotell near Rjukan in Telemark. Last week he was due to meet his former employer in the Oslo district court with a claim of just over NOK 190,000. Together with a former colleague, he also demanded that the hotel operating company be declared bankrupt. Rafal Adam Lewandrowski made a claim of NOK 190,000 against his former employer. Photo: private – I feel used. I worked very hard for them, says Lewandrowski. – Challenging liquidity After news contacted chairman Erlend Follegg and general manager Runar Menøy at Gondolin Hotels & Resorts, the money was paid out only a few hours later. The scheduled court hearing where the bankruptcy petition was to be heard was cancelled. Also three of Lewandrowski’s former colleagues were then paid the salary and holiday pay they had been waiting for for several months. – As a result of challenging liquidity, we have fallen behind with the payment of wages, but all wages have been reported/reported, writes Runar Menøy in an e-mail to news. Owes close to NOK 200,000 The Confederation has mapped that Gondolin Hotels & Resorts AS still owes close to NOK 200,000 in wages and holiday pay to three former employees at the company’s hotels. – We of course take this seriously and deeply regret it. It is our first priority to pay salaries on the pay date for the employees throughout, says Menøy, who believes that it is only about missing payments in March and April. According to him, the money will be paid out on July 15. Organizational worker Roger Sollie in the Federal Union characterizes the missing payments from Gondolin Hotels & Resorts as wage theft. – I would say that this could fall under that category. It is considered wage theft when you deliberately do not pay wages and holiday pay to which the employee is entitled, says Sollie. Roger Sollie in the Federation believes that Gondolin has committed wage theft. Photo: Private – What do you mean by they have done this on purpose? – They either had money and didn’t want to pay wages, or they had money that they prioritized spending on other things, says Roger Sollie. He clarifies that the pay conditions the former employees had are above the lower tariff limit. – But when you have salary conditions that are deliberately not respected, it is in a way social dumping, says Roger Sollie. Says they want to clean up General manager Runar Menøy of Gondolin Hotels & Resorts does not agree. – There is no basis for allegations of “wage theft” or “social dumping” as this was of course not done “improperly” and “with intent” for an “unjustified gain”, but has come about as a result of poor liquidity. – The company has here reported and sent out payslips and the salary obligations are booked in the company’s balance sheet as liabilities, writes Menøy in an e-mail to news. He adds that the situation that has arisen is deeply regrettable and that the company is doing everything they can to clean things up as quickly as possible. – The company focuses on securing jobs during a demanding period, which we also think is important to highlight in the case, writes Menøy.
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Employees have not been paid for six months – hotel owner Erlend Follegg is being sued – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
