Hamilton’s iconic Black Forest Inn is facing allegations of age discrimination.
Three former servers at the establishment have filed a human rights complaint against the restaurant and its new owners, accusing them of cutting back their hours and replacing them with younger workers in 2017.
Appearing on CHML’s Bill Kelly Show on Wednesday, Anelle Murauskas says she and her former colleagues wanted to speak out against what they feel was unfair treatment.
“We just loved working there and having such a great connection with our customers and seeing generations grow up,” said Murauskas. “They were like family to us.”
That changed, according to Murauskas, when the new owners began hiring new staff and giving them more shifts than the servers who had been there for years.
Ilda Rosser, one of the other servers involved in the complaint, said it was difficult to talk with the other servers about what was going on.
“We were all afraid to talk about anything because he was always around,” said Rosser. “And if he did see us talking to one another, he would try to split us up.”
Paul Wells, one of the operating partners of the inn, spoke with Bill Kelly on Tuesday and denied the allegations, saying the situation has been blown out of proportion.
“The staff here are extremely upset about this,” said Wells. “We were extremely upset when these ladies left. It was devastating for all of us here because they were thought of very highly. I mean, they were long serving servers here that were liked by the staff, that were loved by customers and myself.”
He adds that former and current staff members will be testifying on his behalf at a human rights tribunal on March 27th.
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