What to know
- Workers at Latin World Restaurants in Toronto are alleging wage theft, including unpaid wages and pay below minimum wage, with claims stretching back several years.
- The Workers Action Centre says multiple employees have come forward, with some reportedly owed thousands of dollars in unpaid earnings.
- Advocates say many affected workers are in vulnerable situations, including some with uncertain immigration status, which may discourage them from speaking out.
- The group plans to escalate the matter to the Ontario Ministry of Labour as more workers continue to come forward.
Workers and labour activists at a Toronto restaurant are accusing an employer of wage theft, alleging unpaid wages totalling thousands of dollars in a years-long dispute.
Latin World Restaurants has come under scrutiny after employees claimed that the owner of several locations, Tatiana Fernandez, has withheld pay and, in some cases, paid workers below minimum wage.
The restaurant chain operates four locations across Toronto. The Workers Action Centre (WAC) says two employees recently came forward claiming they were collectively owed more than $3,700. However, organizers say the number of affected workers is significantly higher.
“I can count maybe six to seven workers. They came to the Workers Action Centre to say they didn’t receive wages and they receive less than minimum wage… so many complaints about the restaurant,” said Veronica Zaragoza of the WAC.
Zaragoza says complaints first began about three years ago, and that many of the workers involved are in vulnerable situations.
“Some of them have work permits. Some of them don’t have status or work permits,” she said.
According to Zaragoza, some employees have been working shifts as long as 12 hours without pay. She says many are afraid to come forward due to their immigration status.
As a result, the WAC staged a demonstration on March 28 outside of Latin World locations to demand that employees be paid wages that are owed.
She also alleges that some workers have been threatened with being reported to immigration authorities, which she says has contributed to the ongoing cycle of exploitation.
Zaragoza says she has personally spoken with Fernandez on multiple occasions, demanding that workers be paid what they are owed, but says she has repeatedly been given excuses for why payment cannot be made.
“If you don’t have money to pay them, you have to close your restaurant… if you know you can’t pay the workers, why are you still operating and you still hiring people?” she said.
Now Toronto reached out to Fernandez, who said she is unable to comment on the allegations at this time.
Zaragoza says the WAC plans to bring the issue to the Ministry of Labour, though she notes the process can be slow and difficult for workers seeking unpaid wages.
“The Ministry of Labour takes like six months to start a case, and it takes a very long time for the workers to recover the wages,” she said.
She adds that since the demonstration last month, more employees have come forward and hopes increased attention will lead to a stronger outcome for workers.
