Press Release: Richmond City Council Votes to Not Do Business with Sheraton, Marriott, and Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotels

Resolution supports Richmond Workers’ Fight for a Living Wage

 

Richmond, BC —Richmond City Council unanimously passed a motion on Monday for the City to not use the Sheraton, Marriott, and Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotels in support of Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel workers fighting for living wages, now in their seventh month on strike. A delegation representing the hundreds of workers at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel – members of UNITE HERE Local 40 – presented to Council. City Councillors were urged not to spend any public money at the Sheraton, as well as its sister hotels – the Marriott and Hilton Vancouver Airport Hotels – all behind picket lines, until the labour dispute at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel is resolved.

“I am very happy Richmond City Council is doing the right thing and passed a motion not to do business with the Sheraton, Marriott and Hilton YVR hotels,” said Felisha Perry, a striking banquet server at the Sheraton and a Richmond resident. “Our ongoing strike is fundamentally about earning enough to live. Council has shown they stand with working people fighting for a living wage and are helping us send a message to one of Canada’s wealthiest hotel owners to respect workers and resolve this dispute.”

In 2022, Richmond City Council adopted a resolution that they will not support events or promote any business with Pacific Gateway Hotel (since renamed Radisson Blu) until an agreement with the union has been reached. They acted accordingly on Monday, officially boycotting the Sheraton, Hilton, and Marriott Vancouver Airport hotels – the largest hotel complex in BC – until a new collective agreement is reached at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport. The BC Labour Board deemed the three hotels, operated by Larco Hospitality, a common site and is permitting striking workers to picket the perimeter of the hotels.

The workers, many who reside in Richmond, are fighting for pay increases that will bring them closer to Metro Vancouver’s living wage of $25.68 per hour.  The BC Federation of Labour, representing nearly fifty affiliated unions with approximately 500,000 members across the province, has declared a public boycott of the hotel complex.

 

Media Contact: Sharan Pawa, 604-710-1643, sharan@unitehere40.com