Vancouver, BC — Workers at Jericho Tennis Club, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, have reached a new collective agreement and secured significant wage increases to meet the rising cost of living. This victory comes as Vancouverites are seeing the highest levels of inflation in decades.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include total wage increases of more than 10% over the course of the 3-year agreement, retroactive wage increases back to last fall, and contract language that ensures more employees will have access to quarterly bonuses.
“We’re happy to win our new collective agreement because these raises will allow all of us to better provide for our families,” said Lyndon Roberts, bargaining committee member and a Groundsperson at the Club.
“Negotiating the collective agreement at Jericho took a strong team effort of our bargaining committee, and all of the union members who participated. Keep up the good work and more victories will come,” said Quinton Heddema, bargaining committee member and long-term Cook.
“With inflation at its highest rate in decades, BC hospitality employers need to fairly compensate employees for their hard work. We want to thank the management of Jericho Tennis Club for working with us to reach an agreement that allows our union members to move forward,” said Mike Biskar, Organizer at UNITE HERE Local 40.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents thousands of BC hospitality workers, including over 350 employees at private member clubs across the Lower Mainland.
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-07-07 13:07:442022-07-07 13:07:44Jericho Tennis Club Workers Win Big Increases Amidst Record High Inflation in Vancouver
Kitimat, BC— Today, nearly 200 contract camp workers who work on the LNG Canada site in Kitimat delivered a petition to management urging the company to increase their wages by 12%. This comes after LNG Canada announced a 12% wage increase to all building trades workers earlier this month. The contract camp workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, BC’s camp workers union.
Contract workers on the LNG Canada site include janitors, housekeepers, front desk, and culinary employees, who were left out of the 12% wage increase that the company announced to building trades workers. These contract workers are the lowest-paid employees on the pipeline. Compared to other LNG Canada workers, many contract workers are also women, Indigenous, and people of colour.
So far, the petition has garnered close to 200 signatures from workers at Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge. The petition details how the wage increase addresses concerns of skyrocketing inflation and living costs for building trades workers, yet most contract workers on the pipeline who were excluded from the wage increase live paycheque to paycheque.
“Us janitors worked through Covid. We played a significant role ensuring LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant continued to run during the pandemic by protecting people’s health and safety. Along with housekeepers, front desk, and culinary workers, we are the backbone of this project and deserve to be treated with respect,” said Murray Innes, LNG janitor from the Gitxaala Nation.
“Housekeepers, janitors, and culinary workers are an integral part of the progression of the pipeline and we should not be treated as second class workers. That’s why those of us from Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge, are backing this petition. LNG Canada needs to recognize the hard work we do and extend the 12% wage increase to us immediately!” said Monika Schuster, housekeeping supervisor at Civeo at Sitka Lodge.
Media Contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality and camp workers’ union and represents members in construction camps and the hotel, food service, and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-27 09:39:172022-06-29 11:11:00200 Camp Workers Deliver Signed Petition, Urge LNG Canada to Extend 12% Wage Increase to Contracted Workers
Jacksonville hotel, currently under boycott, terminated 122 workers after receiving millions in Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure businesses who received forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans used the funds for payroll as Congress intended. In a recent letter to the SBA, the congressman questioned millions in loans directed to Westmont Hospitality Group, a large hotel owner whose affiliate owns Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and which terminated 122 workers after receiving the first of two PPP loans.
The letter dated June 9 states that Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 120 hotel workers six weeks after the owner was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan during the pandemic. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of PPP loans were required to spend 60% of loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
“It concerns me that public funds directed to the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville may not have benefited those who truly needed it. I believe strong transparency and oversight are needed to ensure that companies who can demonstrate how they protected workers’ jobs receive forgiveness of PPP loans,” wrote Rep. Lawson.
In the letter, Lawson asked the SBA to account for how much of the hotel’s PPP loans actually went to payroll costs and whether those funds were used to pay for the hotel’s renovations. The hotel spent millions to renovate its meeting and event space last year. The SBA originally intended to review all loans of $2 million or more but will now review loans after they have been forgiven. Rep. Lawson encouraged the SBA to review borrowers like Westmont Hospitality which received more than $2 million in PPP loans. Westmont affiliates took over $48 million in PPP loans across the U.S.
Rep. Lawson joins other U.S. representatives who have raised concerns about the PPP loan compliance process and have urged the SBA to update Members of Congress on its plans to ensure loans were properly forgiven. In March, Members of Congress expressed concerns over PPP loans granted to large hospitality employers and called on SBA to increase transparency and oversight of its loan forgiveness process.
This month, hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 40 launched a customer boycott against the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel in response to the pandemic terminations. The AFL-CIO has endorsed the boycott.
Media contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.org, 604-928-7356.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE International Union. UNITE HERE is the hospitality workers’ union in the U.S. and Canada that represents hundreds of thousands of workers in hotels, gaming, restaurants and food service, and airports, including more than 30,000 workers across the state of Florida.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-23 14:24:402022-06-23 14:24:40Florida Congressman urges SBA to scrutinize forgiveness of loans intended for small businesses, cites Hyatt Jacksonville
City’s premiere convention hotel terminated 121 hotel workers despite receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — Today, UNITE HERE Local 40 announced a boycott of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville took $5.49 million in U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans intended to sustain small businesses and protect workers’ jobs affected by the unprecedented crisis. Yet, Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 121 workers despite receiving the loans. The customer boycott, endorsed by the AFL-CIO, comes as major events return to Jacksonville.
Hyatt Jacksonville is owned by an affiliate of Westmont Hospitality Group. Westmont, an international hotel company that owns and operates over 400 hotels worldwide, received two PPP loans during the pandemic. Six weeks after the hotel was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan, the hotel issued a WARN notice announcing termination of 119 hotel workers. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of these loans were required to spend 60% of PPP loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
Meanwhile, the hotel took advantage of the lull in visitors during the pandemic to undertake a multi-million renovation of its meeting and event space. Jacksonville is currently experiencing a resurgence in group business and setting record occupancy levels. Hyatt Jacksonville has not responded to the union’s questions over whether they offered to reinstate the 121 workers.
UNITE HERE Local 40 and Florida labour and community are urging residents and all travellers to not sleep, eat or meet at Hyatt Jacksonville. “We held our 2016 and 2022 State Conventions at the Hyatt Jacksonville, but we refuse to use the hotel while it is under a boycott. The hotel should have done the right thing by bringing back its staff instead of terminating them during a public health crisis. Companies like Westmont — which benefited from COVID relief funds — should be held accountable for its treatment of hospitality workers who continue to be left behind in the recovery,” said George Thurlow, Florida Young Democrats President.
“It is disappointing that the Hyatt Jacksonville mass terminated their staff during the pandemic. The AFL-CIO has chosen to withdraw all our business from the hotel until restoration of workers’ jobs has been secured. This isn’t what we expect to happen in Florida. We expect Westmont to respect workers and call them back as business returns,” said Russell Harper, North Florida CLC President, AFL CIO.
Other hotels owned by Westmont Hospitality terminated workers during the pandemic. Pan Pacific Vancouver (Canada) terminated nearly 100 long-term staff, most of them women of color. The hotel has refused to bring them back as business recovers. A former worker filed a lawsuit against the hotel over wrongful terminations last year; the lawsuit was given the green light by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge to proceed as a class action.
Affiliates of Westmont Hospitality took over $48 million in publicly funded COVID-19 relief funds across North America.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-15 10:09:592022-06-15 10:09:59UNITE HERE Local 40 Launches Boycott of Westmont-owned Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Endorsed by AFL CIO
Richmond, BC — Richmond City Council has adopted a resolution to not give any business to Pacific Gateway Hotel until hotel management reaches an agreement with UNITE HERE, the union representing workers who have been on strike for 13 months. The resolution comes after a delegation of striking Pacific Gateway hotel workers appeared and spoke before Richmond City Council in April to urge City Councillors not to spend any public money at the hotel.
The city informed the union and the hotel owner, PHI Hotel Group, of Council’s resolution in a letter this week. The resolution was adopted at a Council meeting on May 9.
During the pandemic, PHI Hotel Group allowed the federal government to use Pacific Gateway as a quarantine site. The feds pulled out in January 2022 citing concerns over the hotel’s treatment of workers. Workers went on strike in May 2021 after the hotel terminated 143 long-term staff during the height of COVID-19. The B.C. Federation of Labour has endorsed a boycott of the hotel.
Most of the terminated Pacific Gateway workers are women. A terminated housekeeper filed a human rights complaint against the hotel last year on behalf of herself and 89 other women for wrongful firings on the basis of sex and racial discrimination. UNITE HERE Local 40 launched the B.C. Unequal Women campaign to highlight how women have borne the brunt of pandemic terminations in the hospitality industry. Since the launch of the campaign, hotels across B.C. have agreed to bring their workers back to their pre-pandemic jobs, including Hilton Metrotown which recently resolved a 13-month lockout. Pacific Gateway has refused to return workers, many of whom live in Richmond, to their jobs,
“I’m happy that Richmond City Council decided to adopt the resolution,” said Treva Martell, a terminated server from Pacific Gateway hotel and a Richmond resident. “We’re the ones who built up this hotel and made it its name. I’m glad Council understands this is bad for Richmond residents and bad for business. Their decision sends a strong message that they will not condone the hotel’s actions. Thank you to Richmond City Councillors for standing behind us workers. It means so much to me.”
CONTACT: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356; or Michelle Travis, mtravis@unitehere.org, 778-960-9785
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-08 14:49:472022-06-08 14:49:47Richmond City Council Adopts Resolution to Not Do Business with Pacific Gateway Hotel
Jericho Tennis Club Workers Win Big Increases Amidst Record High Inflation in Vancouver
Vancouver, BC — Workers at Jericho Tennis Club, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, have reached a new collective agreement and secured significant wage increases to meet the rising cost of living. This victory comes as Vancouverites are seeing the highest levels of inflation in decades.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include total wage increases of more than 10% over the course of the 3-year agreement, retroactive wage increases back to last fall, and contract language that ensures more employees will have access to quarterly bonuses.
“We’re happy to win our new collective agreement because these raises will allow all of us to better provide for our families,” said Lyndon Roberts, bargaining committee member and a Groundsperson at the Club.
“Negotiating the collective agreement at Jericho took a strong team effort of our bargaining committee, and all of the union members who participated. Keep up the good work and more victories will come,” said Quinton Heddema, bargaining committee member and long-term Cook.
“With inflation at its highest rate in decades, BC hospitality employers need to fairly compensate employees for their hard work. We want to thank the management of Jericho Tennis Club for working with us to reach an agreement that allows our union members to move forward,” said Mike Biskar, Organizer at UNITE HERE Local 40.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents thousands of BC hospitality workers, including over 350 employees at private member clubs across the Lower Mainland.
###
UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
200 Camp Workers Deliver Signed Petition, Urge LNG Canada to Extend 12% Wage Increase to Contracted Workers
Kitimat, BC — Today, nearly 200 contract camp workers who work on the LNG Canada site in Kitimat delivered a petition to management urging the company to increase their wages by 12%. This comes after LNG Canada announced a 12% wage increase to all building trades workers earlier this month. The contract camp workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, BC’s camp workers union.
Contract workers on the LNG Canada site include janitors, housekeepers, front desk, and culinary employees, who were left out of the 12% wage increase that the company announced to building trades workers. These contract workers are the lowest-paid employees on the pipeline. Compared to other LNG Canada workers, many contract workers are also women, Indigenous, and people of colour.
So far, the petition has garnered close to 200 signatures from workers at Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge. The petition details how the wage increase addresses concerns of skyrocketing inflation and living costs for building trades workers, yet most contract workers on the pipeline who were excluded from the wage increase live paycheque to paycheque.
“Us janitors worked through Covid. We played a significant role ensuring LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant continued to run during the pandemic by protecting people’s health and safety. Along with housekeepers, front desk, and culinary workers, we are the backbone of this project and deserve to be treated with respect,” said Murray Innes, LNG janitor from the Gitxaala Nation.
“Housekeepers, janitors, and culinary workers are an integral part of the progression of the pipeline and we should not be treated as second class workers. That’s why those of us from Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge, are backing this petition. LNG Canada needs to recognize the hard work we do and extend the 12% wage increase to us immediately!” said Monika Schuster, housekeeping supervisor at Civeo at Sitka Lodge.
Media Contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality and camp workers’ union and represents members in construction camps and the hotel, food service, and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
Florida Congressman urges SBA to scrutinize forgiveness of loans intended for small businesses, cites Hyatt Jacksonville
Jacksonville hotel, currently under boycott, terminated 122 workers after receiving millions in Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure businesses who received forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans used the funds for payroll as Congress intended. In a recent letter to the SBA, the congressman questioned millions in loans directed to Westmont Hospitality Group, a large hotel owner whose affiliate owns Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and which terminated 122 workers after receiving the first of two PPP loans.
The letter dated June 9 states that Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 120 hotel workers six weeks after the owner was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan during the pandemic. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of PPP loans were required to spend 60% of loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
“It concerns me that public funds directed to the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville may not have benefited those who truly needed it. I believe strong transparency and oversight are needed to ensure that companies who can demonstrate how they protected workers’ jobs receive forgiveness of PPP loans,” wrote Rep. Lawson.
In the letter, Lawson asked the SBA to account for how much of the hotel’s PPP loans actually went to payroll costs and whether those funds were used to pay for the hotel’s renovations. The hotel spent millions to renovate its meeting and event space last year. The SBA originally intended to review all loans of $2 million or more but will now review loans after they have been forgiven. Rep. Lawson encouraged the SBA to review borrowers like Westmont Hospitality which received more than $2 million in PPP loans. Westmont affiliates took over $48 million in PPP loans across the U.S.
Rep. Lawson joins other U.S. representatives who have raised concerns about the PPP loan compliance process and have urged the SBA to update Members of Congress on its plans to ensure loans were properly forgiven. In March, Members of Congress expressed concerns over PPP loans granted to large hospitality employers and called on SBA to increase transparency and oversight of its loan forgiveness process.
This month, hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 40 launched a customer boycott against the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel in response to the pandemic terminations. The AFL-CIO has endorsed the boycott.
To view the letter, click here.
Media contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.org, 604-928-7356.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE International Union. UNITE HERE is the hospitality workers’ union in the U.S. and Canada that represents hundreds of thousands of workers in hotels, gaming, restaurants and food service, and airports, including more than 30,000 workers across the state of Florida.
UNITE HERE Local 40 Launches Boycott of Westmont-owned Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront, Endorsed by AFL CIO
City’s premiere convention hotel terminated 121 hotel workers despite receiving Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — Today, UNITE HERE Local 40 announced a boycott of the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville took $5.49 million in U.S. Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans intended to sustain small businesses and protect workers’ jobs affected by the unprecedented crisis. Yet, Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 121 workers despite receiving the loans. The customer boycott, endorsed by the AFL-CIO, comes as major events return to Jacksonville.
Hyatt Jacksonville is owned by an affiliate of Westmont Hospitality Group. Westmont, an international hotel company that owns and operates over 400 hotels worldwide, received two PPP loans during the pandemic. Six weeks after the hotel was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan, the hotel issued a WARN notice announcing termination of 119 hotel workers. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of these loans were required to spend 60% of PPP loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
Meanwhile, the hotel took advantage of the lull in visitors during the pandemic to undertake a multi-million renovation of its meeting and event space. Jacksonville is currently experiencing a resurgence in group business and setting record occupancy levels. Hyatt Jacksonville has not responded to the union’s questions over whether they offered to reinstate the 121 workers.
UNITE HERE Local 40 and Florida labour and community are urging residents and all travellers to not sleep, eat or meet at Hyatt Jacksonville. “We held our 2016 and 2022 State Conventions at the Hyatt Jacksonville, but we refuse to use the hotel while it is under a boycott. The hotel should have done the right thing by bringing back its staff instead of terminating them during a public health crisis. Companies like Westmont — which benefited from COVID relief funds — should be held accountable for its treatment of hospitality workers who continue to be left behind in the recovery,” said George Thurlow, Florida Young Democrats President.
“It is disappointing that the Hyatt Jacksonville mass terminated their staff during the pandemic. The AFL-CIO has chosen to withdraw all our business from the hotel until restoration of workers’ jobs has been secured. This isn’t what we expect to happen in Florida. We expect Westmont to respect workers and call them back as business returns,” said Russell Harper, North Florida CLC President, AFL CIO.
Other hotels owned by Westmont Hospitality terminated workers during the pandemic. Pan Pacific Vancouver (Canada) terminated nearly 100 long-term staff, most of them women of color. The hotel has refused to bring them back as business recovers. A former worker filed a lawsuit against the hotel over wrongful terminations last year; the lawsuit was given the green light by a British Columbia Supreme Court judge to proceed as a class action.
Affiliates of Westmont Hospitality took over $48 million in publicly funded COVID-19 relief funds across North America.
Media contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356
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Richmond City Council Adopts Resolution to Not Do Business with Pacific Gateway Hotel
Richmond, BC — Richmond City Council has adopted a resolution to not give any business to Pacific Gateway Hotel until hotel management reaches an agreement with UNITE HERE, the union representing workers who have been on strike for 13 months. The resolution comes after a delegation of striking Pacific Gateway hotel workers appeared and spoke before Richmond City Council in April to urge City Councillors not to spend any public money at the hotel.
The city informed the union and the hotel owner, PHI Hotel Group, of Council’s resolution in a letter this week. The resolution was adopted at a Council meeting on May 9.
During the pandemic, PHI Hotel Group allowed the federal government to use Pacific Gateway as a quarantine site. The feds pulled out in January 2022 citing concerns over the hotel’s treatment of workers. Workers went on strike in May 2021 after the hotel terminated 143 long-term staff during the height of COVID-19. The B.C. Federation of Labour has endorsed a boycott of the hotel.
Most of the terminated Pacific Gateway workers are women. A terminated housekeeper filed a human rights complaint against the hotel last year on behalf of herself and 89 other women for wrongful firings on the basis of sex and racial discrimination. UNITE HERE Local 40 launched the B.C. Unequal Women campaign to highlight how women have borne the brunt of pandemic terminations in the hospitality industry. Since the launch of the campaign, hotels across B.C. have agreed to bring their workers back to their pre-pandemic jobs, including Hilton Metrotown which recently resolved a 13-month lockout. Pacific Gateway has refused to return workers, many of whom live in Richmond, to their jobs,
“I’m happy that Richmond City Council decided to adopt the resolution,” said Treva Martell, a terminated server from Pacific Gateway hotel and a Richmond resident. “We’re the ones who built up this hotel and made it its name. I’m glad Council understands this is bad for Richmond residents and bad for business. Their decision sends a strong message that they will not condone the hotel’s actions. Thank you to Richmond City Councillors for standing behind us workers. It means so much to me.”
CONTACT: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356; or Michelle Travis, mtravis@unitehere.org, 778-960-9785
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.