Archive for category: News

BREAKING: Why is a former NDP cabinet member planning to cross a Richmond picket line?

For Immediate Release

Vancouver BC — Striking workers are urging Harry Lali, the former NDP transportation and highways minister, to not cross their picket line at The Deck at Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport this weekend.

Mr. Lali’s family will be holding an event at The Deck despite the ongoing strike. Lali was made aware of the dispute in late May and was asked by a representative of UNITE HERE Local 40, which represents the striking workers, to relocate his family’s event to another location.  Workers from the hotel and The Deck have been on strike for over three years.

“Mr. Lali knew about the ongoing labour dispute, so why is he crossing workers’ picket line?  Many of the strikers are from the South Asian community. Has Mr. Lali, a former union member himself, completely forgotten working people?  Mr. Lali and his family should respect the workers and move their event to a venue that is not behind picket lines,” said Gulzar Grewal, Vice-President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

The BC Labour Relations Board recently slapped the hotel and its majority owner, Sukhminder Rai, with a cease and desist order for threatening and intimidating strikers on the picket line, many of whom are Punjabi women.  Rai threatened to fire one of the workers the day after the strike is settled, falsely told workers there are no kitchen jobs to return to, attempted to induce striking workers to retire, and made multiple insulting and threatening comments to one of the female strikers.

During the strike, the Labour Board has issued several cease and desist orders against the hotel for using impermissible replacement workers and ordered random inspections.

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

BREAKING: Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa Workers Launch 3-Day Strike

Vancouver, BC – Workers at Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa walked off the job early this morning and are setting up picket lines.

The resort and spa workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, are holding a 3-day strike over the busy summer weekend. This comes after bargaining broke off yesterday afternoon with little progress. Workers are striking for fair wages and a reversal of concessions made during the pandemic.

Hotel room revenues in the Fraser Valley Regional District, which includes Harrison Hot Springs, have grown 42% since 2019, yet workers have not shared equitably in those gains.

“Harrison Hot Springs Resort workers want management to invest in providing top quality jobs. Low wages, short staffing and workload issues affect morale and guest service. Workers are fed up, which is why they’re taking limited strike action,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

Harrison Hot Springs Resort is owned by Aldesta Hotel Group, a subsidiary of Salience Global Holdings, which also owns Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, luxury waterfront resorts, and two islands along the Great Barrier Reef.

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

Press Release: YVR Airport Concession Workers Launch Strike for $25 Living Wage

Vancouver, BC — Over 200 food workers at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) walked out on strike early this morning to demand a $25 living wage.  The workers are employed by SSP America, which operates over a dozen food outlets at YVR.

Food attendants, servers, cooks, dishwashers and others set up picket lines at 4:30AM this morning to inform travelers about the one-day strike action.  The action comes after workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, turned down the company’s latest offer in negotiations. They are negotiating their first collective agreement.

The Vancouver Airport Authority is attempting to limit workers’ attempt to picket inside the airport. The Union is asking the Labour Board to direct the Airport Authority to permit such activity, which was permitted in 2010 during a previous strike action.

Airport concession workers are among the lowest paid staff at YVR. Although YVR is a certified living wage employer, the average hourly wage for concession staff is $18.27, or $7.41 less than Metro Vancouver’s living wage.  Eighty percent of concession workers are women, many of them immigrants, according to a recent survey.  Thousands have petitioned YVR to expand its living wage policy to apply to concession staff.

SSP Group is one of the largest food operators at Vancouver International Airport and operates thirteen outlets: Freshii, Thai Hang, Urban Crave, Whistler Brewhouse, LIFT Bar and Grill, Church’s Chicken, Sal y Limón, Banh Shop, Nourish, Dirty Apron, Tru Burger, Rice Tales, and El Chiquito.

 

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

Press Release: YVR attempts to limit food service workers’ free speech rights on Airport Workers Day

For Immediate Release

Vancouver, BC – YVR marks the inaugural national “Airport Workers Day” by challenging workers’ free speech at the BC Labour Board.

Airport concession workers at SSP Group-operated outlets have served 72-hour strike notice and already taken limited strike action. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, may take further strike action which could impact thirteen airport food outlets.

The Vancouver Airport Authority is attempting to limit workers’ attempt to picket inside the airport and notify travellers of which restaurants are on strike, in the event that a strike is called.  The Union is asking the Labour Board to direct the Airport Authority to permit such activity, which was permitted in 2010 during a previous labour action.

“It is hypocritical of YVR to be celebrating workers’ important contributions on the one hand, but then denying them a living wage and their ability to protest about that wage,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.

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

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Harrison Hot Springs Resort workers vote in favour of strike action

For Immediate Release

Vancouver, BC — Workers at Harrison Hot Springs Resort have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, with over 96% voting yes.  The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 40.

With inflation heating up again, resort staff, including hotel room attendants, front desk agents, servers, cooks, dishwashers, spa staff, and others, are calling for fair wages, fair scheduling, medical benefit improvements, banquet tip transparency, and a decent pension. Guests can pay over $300 a night to stay, yet workers have not had a raise in a year.

The workers’ collective agreement expired in May.  The Union filed a bad faith bargaining charge after the company failed to respond to requests to bargain in February.  The Union and the company have held several bargaining dates and will resume negotiations this week.

During the pandemic, workers put their health and safety on the line to keep the hotel running. They agreed to modest wage increases and limited concessions on overtime and vacations to meet the challenges of the public health crisis. However, the resort experienced a rebound in leisure travel much sooner than the province’s urban hotel markets and continues to have a bustling business.

Harrison Hot Springs Resort is owned by Aldesta Hotel Group, a subsidiary of Salience Global Holdings.  Last year, Aldesta acquired the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort for $40 million.

 

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