Hotel Workers Authorize Strike Actions Throughout BC

After more than a year at the bargaining table, hospitality workers at 46 hotels, pubs and liquor stores in BC have voted “YES” to a strike and to better standards for hospitality workers.  Workers from Vancouver, Nanaimo, Victoria, Kamloops, Harrison Hot Springs, Prince Rupert, Fort St. John and other communities voted to authorize strikes at their workplaces in response to the lack of progress in bargaining to date.

Workers are saying “NO” to:

-wage increases that average only 13 cents a year in upscale hotels like the Wedgewood Hotel and Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel; and average between 3 cents – 6 cents a year in smaller hotels;

-inferior medical and pension benefits;

-second-class benefits for workers outside Vancouver;

-heavy housekeeping workloads; and

-lack of banquet service charge transparency.

The workers’ contract expired May 31, 2012.  Local 40 is bargaining with Hospitality Industrial Relations, which represents the multi-employer group.