Archive for category: News

Boycott Declared by BC Federation of Labour as Coast Victoria Hotel Workers Rally Against Lockout

Victoria, BC – Hundreds of workers and allies gathered yesterday at the BC Legislature in a powerful show of solidarity with locked-out Coast Victoria Hotel workers. The rally brought together unions and community members from across the province to stand with the nearly ninety hotel workers who have been locked out of their jobs for more than a month.

In a major development, Susanne Skidmore, BC Federation of Labour President, announced at the rally that the BCFED has issued a boycott of Coast Victoria Hotel until workers win a fair contract.

“There’s no excuse for locking out workers who are just fighting for safe workloads, proper staffing levels and wages high enough to let them live in the city they serve,” said Susanne Skidmore. “The BC Federation of Labour and our affiliates will not stand by while this employer disrespects its workers. We are calling on all unions, community organizations, and the public to boycott the Coast Victoria Hotel until this lockout ends.”

The rally featured support from leaders of BCGEU, HEU, and other labour unions, along with heartfelt speeches from Coast Victoria workers who shared the struggles they face in Victoria’s unaffordable housing market.

“This lockout has been devastating, but the support we received today shows us that we are not alone,” said Melissa Irvine, a housekeeper at Coast Victoria. “With the backing of the labour movement, we know we can win the respect and wages we deserve.”

Workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, began limited strike action on August 20 to urge management to pay living wages and improve working conditions. Rather than resolve the dispute, the company escalated by locking-out workers on September 17.

The boycott announcement marks an escalation of the dispute with Coast Hotels and APA Hotels & Resorts, the multinational owner of the property.

Media Contact: Rifat Islam – 604 619 0798 – [email protected]

Locked Out, Not Backing Down: Coast Victoria Workers Demand Living Wages

Victoria, BC – Ninety hospitality workers at the Coast Victoria Hotel and Blue Crab Seafood House remain locked out by their employer on day 4 of the company’s aggressive move to shut them out of their jobs. Instead of coming to the bargaining table to resolve issues of low wages, heavy workloads, and safe staffing levels, management has chosen to punish workers for demanding fairness.

“Being locked out is devastating. We want to work, but we cannot keep doing it at poverty wages that don’t cover the cost of living in Victoria,” said Melissa Irvine, a housekeeper at Coast Victoria. “This is our livelihood, and we will not back down until the hotel respects us.”

For the workers, the lockout means a sudden loss of income, uncertainty about paying rent, and the added stress of not knowing when they will be allowed to return to the jobs they have dedicated years to. Many workers are long-time employees who have built their lives in Victoria while cleaning rooms, cooking meals, and serving guests. Now, they are being told they cannot work simply because they dared to stand up for living wages.

“We will not be silenced by this lockout,” said Kelvin Ho, a room attendant at Coast Victoria. “We are standing together because we know what we deserve: fair wages, safe workloads, and respect.”

Victoria’s hospitality industry is booming, with tourists filling hotels at record rates, yet workers say they are being left behind. The lockout is not just about a contract dispute – it is about whether workers in this city can afford to live where they work.

Despite management’s tactics, Coast Victoria workers remain strong and united on the picket line. Spirits are high, and support is growing from the community, other unions, and local organizations.

Coast Victoria workers are calling on management to end the lockout immediately and return to meaningful negotiations that address the urgent issues facing hospitality workers in Victoria.

Media Contact: Rifat Islam – 604 619 0798 – [email protected]

Coast Victoria Workers: “We’ve just been locked out in a union town; does the NDP Government and Victoria City Council have our backs?”

Hotel management locked out workers early this morning following strike over living wages.

Victoria, BC — Locked out workers at Coast Victoria Hotel are calling on the NDP provincial government and Victoria City Council to back them up in their fight for living wages. After workers struck for living wages, hotel management has served workers with a lockout notice effective today.

“Victoria is where I grew up, but I am tired of being in survival mode. I can’t afford my rent and buy a car. It’s one or the other. I have had to work multiple jobs to put away money for school, otherwise I would be in a lot of debt.  My co-workers and I have had enough. Getting locked out because we’re fighting for a living wage is wrong.  Will the NDP government and Victoria City Council allow Coast Victoria to get away with this or will they fight for us? Are we a union town or not?” said Melissa Irvine, one of the locked-out housekeepers.

Citizens come to Victoria to have their voices heard, and many stay at Coast Victoria Hotel. The NDP and local governments collect around $40 every night guests stay in those hotel rooms.  Meanwhile, hotel housekeepers are paid $15 on average to clean the toilet and change the bed sheets for each room they are assigned.

The workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, walked off the job on August 20 in a limited strike action, urging management to address longstanding concerns about living wages and working conditions. Rather than reach an agreement that ensures sustainable family-supporting hotel jobs, the hotel responded by kicking workers to the curb. The lockout affects nearly ninety workers at the hotel and the Blue Crab Seafood House.

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

Local 40 is looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentice!

Volunteer Organizing Apprentice – UNITE HERE Local 40 (Vancouver, BC)

UNITE HERE Local 40 is the voice of hospitality workers across British Columbia. They are housekeepers, bellmen, food servers, cooks, dishwashers, bartenders and many other employees in the tourism and food service industries.

Local 40 has a proud history of community involvement and a strong commitment to improving working conditions, wages, and benefits for all workers.

Now, we are looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentices to help us expand our movement in Vancouver.

Position Summary

The Volunteer Organizing Apprenticeship is a hands-on opportunity to learn how to organize workers and build power in the hospitality industry. Apprentices will gain practical experience by supporting real campaigns and working directly with hospitality workers who are fighting for change in their workplaces.

Responsibilities

  • Build relationships with hospitality workers through one-on-one conversations
  • Support committees of workers to lead campaigns for justice on the job
  • Assist with planning and participating in rallies, delegations, and other actions
  • Work closely with experienced staff organizers to learn key organizing skills
  • Contribute to a team that is taking on some of the largest corporations in the industry

Qualifications

  • Strong belief in social justice and a passion for the labour movement
  • Committed to fighting for workers’ rights and helping people live with dignity in a city as expensive as Vancouver
  • Outgoing, reliable, and motivated to learn
  • Flexible with evenings and weekends when workers are available
  • Hospitality industry experience is a strong asset
  • No organizing experience required – full training provided
  • Multilingual skills are an advantage

Details

  • Location: Vancouver, BC (in-person work required)
  • Schedule: Flexible – evenings and weekends as needed
  • Duration: Flexible, with opportunities for advancement into paid roles

How to Apply

Please send a brief introduction about yourself and why you want to organize hospitality workers in Vancouver to: [email protected]

Media Release: Labour Day Marks 13th Day of Strike for Coast Victoria Hotel Workers

Victoria, BC — As Canada celebrates Labour Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the struggles, achievements, and essential contributions of working people, workers at Coast Victoria Hotel continue their fight on the picket line. Today marks the 13th consecutive day of their strike action, a courageous fight for living wages, fair workloads, and proper staffing levels.

The strike began after months of unsuccessful negotiations with hotel management, who have failed to address key issues that workers say are undermining their livelihoods and well-being.  Workers are seeking living wages to meet the high cost of living in Victoria; fair housekeeping workloads so that room attendants have sufficient time to complete tasks and avoid injury; and proper staffing levels to address understaffing that impacts the quality of service for guests, as well as the health and safety of workers.

The Coast Victoria Hotel strike has galvanized local support from unions and community organizations. Throughout the strike, supporters and hotel customers have joined the picket line in solidarity with workers who are leading the call for better quality hospitality jobs in Victoria.

Victoria, like many Canadian cities, is facing a severe affordability crisis. The cost of housing, groceries, and other basics have increased, while wages have lagged behind. Hotel workers, the backbone of Victoria’s tourism economy, have seen the hotel business rebound far beyond pre-pandemic levels, while pay and working conditions do not reflect their essential contributions.

The strike at Coast Victoria Hotel is part of a larger wave of worker activism across the hospitality industry and other sectors of BC’s economy. This Labour Day, workers across sectors are voicing similar concerns to demand fair pay, manageable workloads, and dignified conditions.

“Labour Day is about the power and value of working people,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Coast Victoria workers are carrying on a proud tradition of standing up for fairness, not only for themselves but for all workers in our community.”

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