GASABO - Hotel Novotel in Kigali has lost staff in its gym department after disagreements with management over pay, Sunday Times has learnt.

Recently, four members of staff working in the gymnasium wrote a letter to the Hotel’s General Manager demanding a pay increment of 200 percent, a request that was turned down.

Talking on condition of anonymity, two of the effected workers said that they were being underpaid and had long been requesting a pay rise.

"We wrote to the general manager asking for a pay increment because we were being paid less money compared to other people doing the same job at the stadium and the tennis club in Nyarutarama,” said one former gym employee. A letter from employees to management demanded an increase in pay from Frw 5,000 per hour to Frw15,000.

"They said that the money was too much, but for us, we believe that the money is not so much because of the work load which they give us,” adds another former worker. When contacted for comment, the hotel’s general manager, Marc Bessodess said that their demands were unrealistic. He added that he proposed to increase their pay by 10 per cent.

The offer of Frw5,500 per hour was rejected. Bessodess added that the Frw15,000 they were demanding is almost the same money the hotel earns from the gymnasium per hour after taxes.

Bessodes said the workers are well catered for and are entitled to free food. Four workers decided to resign after the hotel turned down their demands for salary increment.
Sources at the hotel say that Aerobics and Tae Bo classes are no longer available at the gym as a result.

At the gym, a memo to all clients informs those who had paid for ‘Aerobics Step’ and ‘Tae Bo’ classes that they can change to other services such as tennis, badminton, or swimming, effective May 1, 2008.

According to the notice, the hotel is also ready to reimburse those who may not be interested in the other services.

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