Workers protest “fake” green initiatives at Toronto hotels
A report in today’s Toronto Star describes the “fake” green initiatives some hotels are employing to cut housekeepers’ jobs. The Sheraton Toronto Centre encourages guests to refuse housekeeping services under its “Green Choice Program,” claiming it will “conserve natural resources” and is better for the environment. In return, the hotel gives the guests who refuse housekeeping services a $5 drinks voucher. Housekeepers like Brigida Ruiz (pictured, right) say they up spending more time, using more energy and more chemicals cleaning rooms that have been left without housekeeping services for several days.
See the Toronto Star report for more details on the “fake” green programs.
This Friday, hundreds of UNITE HERE Local 75 hotel workers in Toronto are holding a public briefing in city council chambers at Toronto City Hall to kick off city-wide hotel negotiations.
Vancouver hotel workers in the GVHEA contract will also begin bargaining soon. The Hyatt, Westin Bayshore, Renaissance and Four Seasons contract expires on June 30. Delta Vancouver Airport and Hilton Metrotown contracts expire at the same time.
HIR hotel workers contract victory!
2000 hotel workers in BC ratified a new union contract that includes a major victory in housekeeping workload improvements as well as a 6% wage increase, improved dental and vision benefits and a more than 30% increase in employer pension contributions.
Housekeepers played a key leadership role in bargaining the HIR contract. Their workload victory includes contract language that sets a fixed quota of rooms for the first time, and check-out room drop language.
The new HIR contract was ratified by a total of 83% of members in 60 hotels across the province.
Congratulations to all!
(Committee leaders from the Sheraton Vancouver Airport, Holiday Inn Downtown and Chateau Granville (pictured), along with rank and file leaders from many other HIR hotels worked hard to achieve the new contract. More workers participated in this contract campaign than any previous HIR bargaining. The new contract covers 60 hotels across the province.)
Coast Hotel workers in Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince George and Victoria ratify new contract by 99%!
Coast Hotel workers across BC are celebrating a historic contract victory today. After months of organizing, mobilizing and hard work at the bargaining table, committee leaders in the Coast Bastion Inn-Nanaimo, Coast Harbourside Victoria, Coast Capri-Kelowna and Coast Inn of the North-Prince George can be proud of a new contract ratified by 99% of their co-workers.
Housekeepers won workload relief language for the first time, including a decreased room quota and room drops for traveling between floors. Banquet workers won gratuity protection (”transparency”) language for the first time in the contract.
All Coast workers won a significant wage increase, a 39% pension contribution increase and improved dental and vision benefits. Coast Hotel workers now have the same extended benefits as the downtown Vancouver hotels.
The Coast Master agreement ratified today covers 500 workers in 4 hotels.
Local 40 settled contracts for 3000 workers in 65 hotels and food service operations across British Columbia in the last 2 months.
Congratulations to all who worked so hard for these victories!
HMS Host workers at YVR ratify new contract by 98%
HMS Host workers at YVR overwhelmingly ratified a new union contract today by a vote of 98%. The Host workers won job security improvements in all units, a pathway for Milestones workers to transfer to the new White Spot restaurant, layoff and recall rights, significant wage gains, increased pension contributions and better union access at YVR.
Fipe Wong, a 13-year cook in Palominos, said, “I think we made history at the airport. At the end of the day, its not about the money. Its about the union and being united.”
After a one-day strike and a 6-day lockout, both HMS Host and union members engaged in tough bargaining, made necessary compromises and came away with an agreement in time for the Vancouver Airport’s busiest day ever, March 1.
Local 40 salutes the courage of the Host workers.