BREAKING: Sheraton Vancouver Airport Workers Reach Collective Agreement, Conclude 14-Month Strike

Workers have ratified new agreement with 85% voting in favour

Richmond, B.C. — After a 14-month strike, hotel workers at Sheraton Vancouver Airport have ratified a new collective agreement with their employer that secures living wages and stronger economic security. This brings an end to the strike and lifts the boycott of the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel and its sister hotels next door, Hilton Vancouver Airport and Vancouver Airport Marriott. Workers will be returning to their jobs in coming days to welcome guests back to Sheraton.

“This is amazing. I’ll earn $26 an hour when I go back to work and will make over $30 an hour at the end of this contract. We feel really good about what we achieved. The strike was difficult, and it took a long time to get here, but we are so proud of what we were able to win together. We love our hotel and are excited to welcome our guests back to the Sheraton,” said Ana Wong, a room attendant with 32 years on the job.

The striking workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, secured 30.5% increases for all Sheraton employees, including significant increases at ratification. That means staff will be earning a living wage as they return to work and have secured meaningful wage increases to keep up with the rising cost of living. Most room attendants, for example, will be earning over $30 per hour by the end of 2026.

The agreement provides for return-to-work bonuses, an increase in banquet workers’ gratuities as well as transparency and other tip protections. Room attendants secured daily room cleaning language which helps ensure safer workloads and a better guest experience. The contract also provides for new health benefits for workers, including year-round benefits – a rarity in the hospitality sector – and establishes new sick days. Over 85% of members voted in favour of the new agreement which expires in 2027.

“I feel very good about this contract. The last 14 months have been hard and exhausting, but we held together like a family. My co-workers on the picket line were fantastic. We knew we had to fight and work hard for a new contract, and we stuck together. The company now has a better understanding of what the needs are for our jobs, and we feel good about moving forward together. I want to thank our customers who supported us during this strike and invite them all to come back to the hotel,” said Russell Jamieson, a shuttle driver who has worked at the hotel for 42 years.

“The Union Bargaining Committee stood together through thick and thin during a challenging 14 months. The strikers were tough and demonstrated incredible resolve in deciding to stay on the picket line to fight for themselves and their families. This new agreement sets the Union on a new path with Larco Hospitality, and we look forward to forging ahead in a productive and positive working relationship with them,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

Sheraton workers launched the strike on June 14, 2023, and received a tremendous amount of support from the labour movement, elected officials, community allies and hotel customers. The boycotts issued by the BC Federation of Labour and Canadian Labour Congress of Sheraton Vancouver Airport, the Hilton Vancouver Airport, and Marriott Vancouver Airport have been lifted.

The Union invites former and prospective guests to return to Sheraton Vancouver Airport and its sister hotels.

Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785.

BREAKING: YVR Airport Food Workers Secure $25/Hour Living Wage

Airport food staff sets new standard at Canada’s #1 airport

SSP Canada food workers at Vancouver International Airport (“YVR”) have voted 93% in favour of ratifying a groundbreaking collective agreement which achieves $25 living wages. This is the first contract for the workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, which joined the union last year.

The new collective agreement provides substantial wage increases immediately and ensures SSP workers will be brought up to $25/hour living wages by next year.  Workers achieved significant health benefit improvements for themselves and their families and established new rights to take vacation time.

“I’ve worked for SSP at YVR Airport for 14 years and am so happy that we will now earn a $25/hour living wage and other new benefits.  Our hard work sustains travelers and contributes millions of dollars to the airport community daily.  Together, we stood up and demanded what we deserve to support ourselves and our families in this unaffordable city.  We hope that inspires other YVR airport workers to stand up for more,” said Remedios Tamayo, a cook at Dirty Apron.

The new contract also provides a taxi/Uber reimbursement for those required to report to work outside of public transit hours, as well as a transit discount. Earlier this year, YVR ended its transit reimbursement program for airport operators and shifted the cost onto low-wage staff. Workers also secured gratuity protections and other gains.

In June, SSP food attendants, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, among others, launched a one-day strike action at YVR Airport to drive home the message that living wages are needed to live in Metro Vancouver.  Although YVR is a certified living wage employer, foodservice staff, primarily immigrant women, are not covered by the policy. The workers garnered support from the broader airport community; thousands of airport workers and their supporters petitioned the Vancouver Airport Authority to broaden its living wage policy.

“We applaud SSP America for demonstrating leadership among airport operators.  They are the first foodservice operator at YVR Airport to walk the talk about being a living wage employer. We hope other airport operators will follow their lead,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

SSP operates thirteen outlets at YVR Airport, including: Whistler Brewhouse, LIFT Bar and Grill, Dirty Apron, Freshii, Thai Hang, Urban Crave, Church’s Chicken, Sal y Limón, Banh Shop, Nourish, Tru Burger, Rice Tales, and El Chiquito.

Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785

BREAKING: Workers Deliver 72-hour Strike Notice to Downtown Vancouver Hotel

Vancouver – Workers at Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Vancouver Downtown have issued 72-hour strike notice to their employer.  They join hundreds of other hotel workers across Downtown Vancouver who are demanding higher wages and better working conditions while the city’s hotels draw record-setting revenues.

Room attendants, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers and others at the 245-room hotel near the Granville Entertainment District will be in a position to take strike action effective Monday, July 29.

“Our wages are too low considering how expensive Vancouver is today. Rent, groceries, and prices, for basically everything, has gone up. My co-workers and I are having to consider second jobs to get by.  The hotel is charging guests over $500 for a room tonight, but management dismisses us when we say we deserve more,” said Andrea Fuentes, a room attendant at the Holiday Inn & Suites for 22 years.

Nearly 2,000 hotel workers with UNITE HERE Local 40 are in contract bargaining across downtown Vancouver this summer demanding wages that keep up with the city’s astronomical cost of living. Hotel workers at Hyatt Regency Vancouver launched a one-day strike action last week and rallied around the demand that it takes $40/hour to live in Vancouver.

Vancouver’s hotel industry continues to boom with soaring room rates. Hotel room revenues reached nearly $1.4 billion last year, rebounding strongly after the pandemic, and are on track to top last year’s earnings.  While hotel room revenues hit record levels in Vancouver and province-wide, hotel staffing in accommodations has declined 30% on average since 2019.

Holiday Inn workers voted 96% in favour of strike action earlier this month. The collective agreement expired in May.  The hotel is operated by Atlific Hotels.

Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785

 

ON STRIKE: Downtown Vancouver Hotel Workers Walk off the Job

“It takes $40/hour to live in Metro Vancouver!”

Vancouver, BC – Room attendants, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers and other workers at Hyatt Regency Vancouver walked off the job early this morning to launch a one-day strike. The workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.

While Hyatt charges guests between $500 to $1200 per night, hotel workers are frustrated with the company’s failure to address wages that keep up with Metro Vancouver’s insanely unaffordable housing costs and inflation. The company wants to push the cost of medical benefits increasingly onto workers and, despite the decades of service that workers have invested in Hyatt, the company refuses to meaningfully improve workers’ pensions.

“I work hard and raised my boys on this job. But we’re on strike today because we cannot keep up with the cost of living in Vancouver.  I can’t cut back on rent, so that means I end up cutting back on groceries and other basic expenses.  If my rent goes up anymore, I might be homeless.  I can’t afford to move because rent is so high anywhere you go,” said Wanna Nualmeunwai, a Hyatt room attendant.

In other cities where housing costs and inflation have skyrocketed, like Los Angeles, Hyatt has agreed to higher wages and benefits for hotel workers.

“It takes $40/hour to live in Metro Vancouver.  Hyatt and other Vancouver hotels are charging astronomical room rates, cutting back services, and expecting workers to accept less while they’re being squeezed daily by the rising cost of living. Hotel workers are professionals in a key sector of our local economy who deserve to earn enough to live in Metro Vancouver,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

In Vancouver, the hourly wage, or rental wage, required to afford a 2-bedroom apartment while working full-time, and not spending more than 30% of one’s income, is $43/hour, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. That is a far cry from what the average full-time hotel worker earns.

Nearly two thousand hotel workers are in contract bargaining in downtown Vancouver over wages that keep pace with the city’s escalating cost of living. Meanwhile, Vancouver hotel room revenues were the highest on record last year – nearly $1.4 billion – and growing.

The workers’ collective agreement expired in 2022. There have been no negotiations with company representatives since February.  Workers bargained their last contract after being on strike for one month in 2019.

Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785

Breaking: Downtown Vancouver Hotel Workers Launch 1-day Strike

Press Conference to be held at 11am

Hotel workers at Hyatt Regency Vancouver have launched a limited duration strike. UNITE HERE Local 40, which represents the workers, will hold a press conference this morning to address the strike action.

When: Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Time:  11am

Where: Hyatt Regency Vancouver, 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC

Visuals: Striking Hyatt hotel workers and allies marching on the picket line, carrying signs, chanting and making noise.

Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785.

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