We did not communicate for the last month. It is quite often a blessing to receive one less e-mail. No, we were not off-line or on holiday, we were very busy to prepare our presentations and marketing material for the Indaba. And what a great Indaba we had. We made use of each and every opportunity to market our members. It is after all the member's money, why not spends it wisely for their benefit. We will be there again next year.
Letter from a concerned hospitality owner.
Remember our previous letter we received from Elizabeth and the scam booking. I am glad Elizabeth ignored the lady’s threats that were passed on to her later during the whole booking process.
Thank you to each and every one who gave us their view on the situation and it was interesting reading;
"as jy dom is, moet jy sukkel!". Elizabeth is clearly bored. Elizabeth is a complete and utter idiot!!!!!!!! Doesn't she read all the warning letters and emails going around? Lees asb die onderstaande nuusbrief om te besef dat die probleem ernstig is en nie ligtelik opgeneem moet word nie.
Just some of the feedback we received. I spoke to people who really lost out big-time. I think we should realize when you are brand new in the Industry you don’t know what to expect. Quite often we have family members working in our establishments and they might not be fully trained on this matter or young students who might not even know how to make a bed.
We had quite a number of establishments who just clicked on reply when they received the newsletter actually requesting Vanessa to complete their booking document to confirm reservation. One of our readers apologised as she will have only single beds available and not double beds. Somebody offered transport from the airport. There were a few more being so helpful.
I am so sorry to say I experience this on a daily basis; people don’t see what they read or listen to what they hear. People we are in an Industry where we except strangers into our homes and in our lives. Please you are totally responsible not only for your own well being, but for the lives of every person under your roof. We all have a six sense, Use it and Act on it.
We are going to end the scam story off and supply you with just one of many sites where more details can be found on this subject. http://www.docep.wa.gov.au/ConsumerProtection/ScamNet/content/pages/type_list.html
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SERIOUS WARNING:
Please make contact if you have or had the following persons as guests in you establishment:
Phillip and Linda Grant with their 2 grown up daughters. Many guest houses lost out due to these guests. According to Grant he is a Rhema Church Pastor and waiting for money from a trust or estate to pay out. He was even invited by one of the guest house owners to deliver a message in their church, which he did. They helped him out with money (not small change) while they were waiting for the payout, and now they are gone to take some one else for ride.
Please if this information fits the description of this family, copy of the ID’s can be obtained from the last guesthouse where they stayed if you think they are staying with you.
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JUST FOR YOUR INFO:
Labour inspectors are very active with their visits. Please do make sure you comply with the required rules and regulations. Please visit www.cacct.co.za and click on the logo SA Labour. All the requirements will be under the Hospitality Sector. You are more than welcome to make contact should you need any help. I received the following e-mail and would like to share it with you.
Inspectors Crack Whip On Errant KZN Hospitality Employers
Released by Department of Labour on 29 May 2008
The Department of Labour inspectors have this week began to crack the whip on defaulters of hospitality sector minimum wage and conditions of employment
With just three days into the national inspections campaign which got off to a rigorous start in all parts of the Province, labour inspectors have already visited 185 workplaces targeting hotels, motels, inns, resorts, game lodges, guest farms, bed and breakfast establishments, timeshares, camps, caravan parks, restaurants, pubs, taverns, cafes, coffee shops, fast food outlets, snack bars and commercial, function or contract caterers.
During the current inspections, an alarming 56 employers were served with written undertakings for not complying with the basic conditions of employment as prescribed in the Hospitality Sectoral Determination. The violations include non-adherence to the minimum wage prescribed for the sector, no proof of registration with the Compensation and Unemployment Insurance Funds, no written particulars of employment in place and no payslips and attendance registers in place.In some instances, employers were found to be promoting the collection of tips and commission as a form of wages for workers.
The sectoral determination, which came into effect on July 1, 2007 stipulates that workers paid on a commission (not tips) basis should at least earn the minimum wage. Gratuities (tips) should not form part of the minimum wage.
The legislation further stipulates that the minimum wage for establishments that employ 10 or less employees is set at R1480 per month or R7, 59 an hour and for those in establishments employing more than 10 employees, is R1650 per month or R8, 46 an hour. Sunday work in the sector should be paid either at 1.5 or double the ordinary rate depending on whether the employee ordinarily works on a Sunday or not as outlined in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
In some cases, 23 employers were served with contravention notices for flouting general safety regulations as prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act.It was also found that managers at certain workplaces were unable to provide documents for scrutiny by the inspectors which resulted in subpoenaes being issued to the owners of the businesses.
Employers are warned to get their house in order as inspectors gear up to visit all workplaces in the sector until Friday, this week.
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The fire department is very active in doing their rounds in the Hospitality Industry. Do not be bullied into using any company they prescribe as some of them are very expensive. Should you need anybody reliable, affordable and complying with the SABS rules and regulations, we will gladly assist you with this information.
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Please view the MMM website www.millionmanmarch.co.za for further details.
We from the Chambers Accommodation & Tourism support this effort 100%.
Bring your tourism banner on the 10th June if you are a tourism body, group or product owner and show your feeling towards the crime in our country.
Join us under our banner “CRIME AFFECTING OUR TOURISM PRODUCTS" and show we in the tourism Industry can stand together.
This initiative is costing the organizers a bundle. Please refer to the MMM letter and see how you can get involved.
People get murdered in Guest establishments. To look down the barrel of a gun, maybe stolen or even your own is no joke. Robbed and traumatised. We can deny the fact that we are in a risky business, but handing out keys and remotes to strangers is a chance we have to take. We do not only put our own lives in jeopardy but also the live off our other guests. When an incident happens at our establishment we keep it quiet, we don't want to talk about it. It will be bad publicity. In the meantime we are traumatized, it is affecting our being.
No more can we keep quiet. We have to stand together in this efford. It is easy to talk 2010, our beds are in demand, but what about our lives, our belongings we did not get for free and last but not least our Hospitality Establishments we build up to provide in many instances for our retirement.
Please take action, Join us. If you can not be there you can still take part. Please e-mail us your logo to appear on the banner. To cover the cost R100.00 per colour logo can be paid into:
CHAMBERS ACOMMODATION & TOURISM
FIRST NATIONAL BANK,
HATFIELD – 25 21 45
ACCOUNT: 62109842725
Fax Deposit slip to 012 430 3571
Not later than the morning of 8th June 2008
The Banner will be displayed during the Hospitality & Tourism Conference at the Reserve Bank.
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LOCAL ASSOCIATION NEWS.
We wish te welcome the following B&B Associations who jointed up with their total membership and trust we will all have a great working relationship:
Total membership of the Pretoria Bed & Breakfast Accociation of Pretoria/ Tshwane www.bbapt.co.za
joined CACCT.
The B&B Association of Namibia http://www.bed-breakfast-namibia.com joined CACCT.
To our individual new establishment a hearty welcome
