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, [email protected], 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.