The Springfield Hotel Saga

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Workplace: The Springfield Hotel Cases

As an employment advocate, there are times when you come across a workplace environment so profoundly toxic that it leaves a lasting impression on you. The saga at Canterbury’s Springfield Hotel operated by Alpine 182 Degrees Limited and its sole director, Blair Wallace provided two of the most egregious examples of workplace bullying, unjustified dismissal, and systemic non compliance I have ever encountered in my career.  

I had the privilege of representing two courageous women, Tracy Tahuhu and Abigail Atkins, who stood up to their employer after enduring immense psychological harm. In both instances, the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) delivered determinations that not only vindicated my clients but sent a clear, unyielding message about workplace standards in New Zealand.  

Here is the story behind these two cases from my perspective on the front lines of advocacy.

Case 1: Tracy Tahuhu – A Target of Exploitation and Abuse

[2022] NZERA 620

Tracy Tahuhu’s journey with The Springfield Hotel began in mid-2020 when she re-entered the workforce as a part-time cleaner following a personal injury. Tracy was incredibly proud when she was eventually promoted to front of house manager and earned her bar manager’s licence. Sadly, the joy of that achievement was quickly overshadowed by the deeply unstable behaviour of the hotel's owner, Blair Wallace.  

The employment relationship was fraught with bizarre, non compliant arrangements from the start. Tracy’s wages were frequently offset to pay down her husband’s bar tab or bartered for items like large pots of Nutella and a ride on mower. Worse still, we discovered she was systematically underpaid, receiving rates as low as $17 and $18 an hour during periods when the adult minimum wage was $18.90 and $20.00 respectively.  

But the financial exploitation was nothing compared to the psychological toll. Tracy described working with Mr. Wallace as "walking on eggshells". He would regularly erupt into aggressive shouting fits, throwing things around the kitchen to intimidate her. The abuse was so severe that in September 2021, Tracy suffered a severe mental breakdown and had to be driven to Hillmorton Hospital. Her psychiatric registrar later described her workplace as a "toxic environment".  

On January 25, 2022, I officially raised a personal grievance on Tracy's behalf. The hotel’s retaliation was swift and unlawful. That very same day, Tracy was blocked from the online payroll system, told to return her keys, and her final pay was arbitrarily docked to recoup the cost of her bar manager’s licence—all without her consent. Furthermore, the owner’s partner, Shelley Watson, threatened to file a baseless ACC fraud complaint against Tracy, a vindictive move clearly designed to cause further distress.  

The Outcome: The hotel chose to completely ignore the ERA proceedings, failing to reply or attend the investigation meeting. Presenting Tracy’s case alongside her family and former colleagues as witnesses, we proved the ongoing bullying and retaliatory dismissal.  

In November 2022, Authority Member Peter Fuiava ordered Alpine 182 Degrees Limited to pay Tracy:

• $18,000 in compensation for humiliation, loss of dignity, and injury to feelings.  

• $2,734.86 in minimum wage arrears and holiday pay (plus interest).  

• $316.25 for the unlawful payroll deduction.  

• $1,800 in lost wages, plus $3,500 in legal costs and the filing fee.  

Case 2: Abigail Atkins – The Destruction of an Apprenticeship

[2023] NZERA 334

While I was preparing Tracy’s case, another employee at the hotel was enduring a remarkably similar nightmare. Abigail Atkins worked as a cook at the Springfield Hotel for nearly two years, progressing into an apprenticeship where Mr. Wallace was supposed to be her mentor.  

Instead of mentoring Abigail, Mr. Wallace subjected her to escalating verbal abuse. For the final six months of her employment, Abigail felt physically sick just showing up to work. Mr. Wallace regularly called her names like "stupid" and "dick," swore at her, threw items in the kitchen, and slammed doors. In a bizarre boundary violation, he even repeatedly claimed she had ADHD and tried to offer her medication. Abigail became so terrified of her boss that she had to wait at a colleague’s house before work so they could walk into the building together for safety.  

In November 2021, Mr. Wallace text-messaged Abigail to a meeting where he rambled about her supposedly spreading rumours. He suspended her for three days, and upon her return, summarily dismissed her for "gross misconduct," claiming a friend of his had contracted food poisoning from her cooking. No evidence was provided, no proper investigation was conducted, and Abigail was given no opportunity to defend herself.  

When we requested Abigail's employment file, the hotel produced an undated, fabricated file note attempting to paint a picture of a fair process that simply never happened. Additionally, the hotel’s operations manager tried to argue that Abigail was on a flexible "casual" schedule to justify why she had been consistently paid for fewer than her contractually guaranteed 30 hours per week.  

The Outcome: Once again, Alpine 182 Degrees Limited refused to participate in the ERA investigation meeting. I presented a watertight case utilising witnesses including Tracy Tahuhu herself who corroborated the explosive and demeaning environment Abigail was forced to endure.  

In June 2023, Authority Member Sarah Kennedy-Martin ruled that Abigail’s dismissal was entirely unjustified and that the hotel had breached its implied obligation to provide a safe workplace.  

Abigail was awarded a massive victory:

• $25,000 in compensation for humiliation, loss of dignity, and injury to feelings, backed by medical evidence of anxiety and work stress.  

• $2,817.00 in wage arrears for failing to pay her contractually guaranteed 30 hours.  

• $1,120.00 in unpaid annual leave arrears.  

• $1,280.00 in lost remuneration.  

  

The Advocate’s Reflection

Representing Tracy and Abigail was both heartbreaking and immensely fulfilling. These cases expose the absolute worst sides of small-business employment: business owners who view basic employment laws, minimum wage requirements, and health and safety obligations as optional regulations they can ignore.  

Mr. Wallace’s ongoing refusal to engage with the ERA process showed a complete disdain for accountability. However, the law caught up with him. Media coverage eventually highlighted the "toxic, drug-taking publican" saga as his business spiralled toward its end.  

For me, these determinations stand as a powerful reminder of why advocacy matters. No employee should ever have to vomits from anxiety before a shift or seek psychiatric care because of the person signing their pay check.