Press Release: Mayor of Burnaby Urges Larco Hospitality to Reach Fair Settlement with Striking Hotel Workers

City of Burnaby pressures Sheraton Vancouver Airport owner to provide fair pay for workers, now in eighth month on strike for living wages

 

Burnaby, BC — Mayor of Burnaby, Mike Hurley, on behalf of Burnaby City Council, sent a letter to Larco Hospitality urging the employer to reach a fair settlement with staff at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel. This followed a delegation of striking Sheraton workers – members of UNITE HERE Local 40 – appearing before Council on February 12.

Hundreds of workers at the Sheraton walked off the job eight months ago in their fight for a living wage from the hotel. In the letter, the Mayor expresses Council’s support for workers and states “Hotel and hospitality staff deserve a contract that fairly compensates them for their work and one that reflects the reality of the increased cost of living in Metro Vancouver in 2024.” The workers, many who reside in Burnaby, are fighting for pay increases that will bring them to Metro Vancouver’s current living wage of $25.68 per hour.

“We thank Burnaby Council for their solidarity with us as we continue in our fight for living wages,” said Shaelyn Arnould, striking Sheraton Vancouver Airport hotel worker and Burnaby resident. “In 2021, the City of Burnaby supported our locked-out Hilton Metrotown members by not spending any city money at the hotel until a fair contract was reached. Their support was pivotal for hotel workers, and again Burnaby Council has shown they support the continuation of good, family-supporting hotel jobs.”

Larco owns the Sheraton, Hilton, and Marriott Vancouver Airport hotels – making up the largest hotel complex in BC – as well as a series of movie studios under the banner Bridge Studios in Burnaby. Bridge Studios is a job creator in Burnaby with a major footprint in the city; Bridge Studios has properties on Boundary Way and Griffiths Drive, as well as an additional studio in development on Lake City Way.

“By sending a letter to Larco in support of the strikers, the City of Burnaby is demonstrating their commitment to fair wages for workers in Burnaby and across our province. Our strike is about earning enough to live, and we will continue in our fight until Larco treats hospitality workers with the respect we deserve,” said Shaelyn Arnould.

 

Media Contact: Sharan Pawa, 604-710-1693, sharan@unitehere40.com