Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) has taken disciplinary action against several employees of Le Grill at the Hôtel de Paris, accusing them of repeatedly drinking alcohol at work using the restaurant’s own stock. It has also rejected union claims that the move amounts to the suppression of union activity.

In a statement released on Monday 26th October, SBM said it had been “compelled” to act after the alleged behaviour was observed over a period of several weeks. It said a thorough internal investigation followed, in which “verified and consistent” evidence was gathered.

According to the company, the conduct breached internal rules and the respect owed to company property, and exposed SBM’s responsibility for safety. It did not say how many employees were involved or what sanctions had been imposed.

“Not taken lightly”

Le Grill, the Michelin-starred restaurant on the eighth floor of the Hôtel de Paris, overlooks Place du Casino and the sea. Its kitchen is led by executive chef Dominique Lory.

SBM’s management stressed that the disciplinary decisions were “fair and proportionate to the seriousness of the acts committed by each person”. It said each employee concerned had been interviewed and given the opportunity to explain themselves, accompanied by a representative if they wished.

“The procedures and the disciplinary decisions that follow are not taken lightly,” the company said.

Union accused of “provocation”

The statement was also a direct response to a leaflet put up at the Hôtel de Paris by the Union des Syndicats de Monaco (USM), which SBM said described the disciplinary action as union repression. The company said it regretted the leaflet’s “needlessly provocative” tone.

“It is therefore obviously not a matter of union repression,” SBM said, adding that the leaflet’s authors could not “seriously have considered that holding the position of staff or union representative would allow the applicable rules to be broken, or even condone the consumption of alcohol in the workplace and the appropriation of property belonging to the employer”.

The wording suggests that at least one of the employees facing disciplinary action holds a staff or union representative role.

Tensions with the union

The dispute comes during a year of mobilisation by the USM, which has staged a series of strikes and rallies over pensions and wages. In June, SBM president-delegate Stéphane Valeri said around 50 of the company’s roughly 5,000 employees had joined a USM strike, while describing staff as broadly satisfied.

In its statement, SBM said it recognised the role of trade unions, remained open to dialogue and fully respected the right to strike and to protest. However, it added that “the safety of employees and the fair application of rules common to all cannot be subject to exceptions”.

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