It followed a sudden announcement last month that Meehan was taking leave from his chief executive role for health reasons.
He remains a director.
A courtyard at one of the first 32 homes at Northbrook Wanaka by Winton Land. Photo / Vaughan Brookfield
In March last year, the Employment Relations Authority upheld a complaint against Meehan. At the time, Winton said it planned to appeal the ruling.
Meehan’s assistant, Leah McCann, complained about the way Meehan expressed his dissatisfaction over his business class seat on a long-haul flight.
“That was the worst f***ing flight I have ever f***ing taken, how the f*** did I end up in seat 29 between the bar and the toilet?” he told her over the phone.
Chris Meehan outside the display suite for Winton Land’s planned Northbrook Arrowtown. Photo / Jason Oxenham
The authority ordered Winton Capital to pay McCann $100,846, including $74,846 for lost wages, compensation of $25,000 and a penalty of $1000.
It also ordered Winton Capital to pay a $4000 penalty to the Crown.
The authority said the company had no regard for New Zealand employment law “when it chose to act in the ways it did towards McCann”.
It failed to maintain a productive employment relationship with McCann, who was Meehan’s executive assistant for 10 months in 2022 and 2023.
The first stage of Winton Land’s Northbrook Wanaka retirement village. Photo / Winton Land
McCann claimed her job was jeopardised after Meehan swore at her and threatened her employment, and that the company failed to address the distress and harm she experienced as a result.
McCann complained she was told Meehan’s conduct would likely continue, that the relationship was broken and that she was pressured to resign while on sick leave.
Winton Capital denied McCann’s claims, alleging there were performance issues with her work.
After the authority’s findings were released, the company told NZME it strongly disagreed with the outcome and would appeal the ruling.
When McCann said she didn’t know about the flight seating, she recalled Meehan told her: “This is your f***ing job, what the f*** have you been doing for the past three f***ing weeks?”
McCann said she would talk to the travel agent and alleged Meehan responded with another barrage of expletives, telling her not to use the agent ever again and, if she did, he would “f***ing sack” her.
One of the first streets at the new Northbrook Wanaka retirement village by Winton Land. Photo / Vaughan Brookfield
Meehan said in his witness statement that he generally agreed with the “gist” of McCann’s recollection and admitted he was angry and would have sworn.
But he denied swearing “at” her or that he “abused” her.
However, at the authority’s investigation meeting, Meehan clarified that it was unlikely he swore in front of his driver, who was an older person.
He explained he was frustrated because McCann had defied an earlier order not to use the travel agent and didn’t take ownership of the “debacle”.
But McCann said she never received that instruction, and Meehan couldn’t remember when he made it. At the investigation meeting, he accepted he hadn’t directed her to use another travel agent, the Herald reported last year.
The determination said Meehan acknowledged getting annoyed by those he believed were not “doing their job” or meeting his “high standards”.
“He says that he gets ‘frustrated’, ‘stormy’ and ‘colourful’ and, during the investigation meeting, he accepted that he sometimes swears when he needs to make his point,” the authority said.
“He stressed that he does not swear ‘at’ people.”
Billy’s, the newest hospitality venue at Ayrburn outside Arrowtown, opened a year ago. Photo / Jason Dorday
Meehan gave evidence that he oversees a culture of safety and excellence, and when people do not do the job that they have been entrusted to do, or they do something despite being told not to do it, he gets grumpy.
“He says the Winton group’s culture is to ‘instruct people on what to do once, and then expect them to do it, and to hold them to account if they do not’,” the authority said.
“He accepts that the Winton work environment is not one that suits everyone.
“Some find the high standards too exacting of them, and go on to do other things, but the majority are loyal and thrive.”
On June 24, Winton was trading at $1.52 but on Friday it sunk to $1.40 and is now around $1.38.
Anne Gibson has been the Herald’s property editor for 26 years, written books and covered property extensively here and overseas.
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