Board orders Remedial Certification of Union at EXchange Hotel
Vancouver, BC — For the second time in less than a year, the British Columbia Labour Relations Board has ruled that an affiliate of Executive Group broke the law to prevent workers from freely choosing union representation.
In a decision released January 2, 2026, the Board ordered the automatic certification of UNITE HERE Local 40 at the EXchange Hotel Vancouver after finding that management illegally interfered with the organizing drive through pressure, intimidation, and inducements.
The Board found that the employer:
Pressured employees to rescind signed union cards;
Directed management to “stop the union” during the certification vote;
Introduced wage increases and workplace changes after learning of the organizing drive; and
Promised future bonuses and flexibility to discourage union support.
Vice-Chair Jonathan Hanvelt ruled that these actions violated sections 6(1) and 6(3)(d) of the Labour Relations Code and effectively stopped the union campaign, making it impossible to determine workers’ true wishes through a vote.
Crucially, the Board pointed to a pattern of unlawful conduct by the same hotel group. In an earlier 2025 decision involving another Executive-branded property, Le Soleil Hotel, the Board found that management unlawfully interfered with union organizing by steering employees toward its preferred union, CLAC, to block UNITE HERE.
In the EXchange Hotel ruling, the Board Chair noted the remedy in this case needs to be a deterrent to future breaches, noting that some of the same decision-makers were involved in both cases and warning that lesser remedies risk becoming a “licence fee” for breaking the law.
“This is now the second Labour Board decision confirming that this hotel group crossed the legal line to stop workers from organizing,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “The message from the Board could not be clearer: employers do not get to intimidate workers or interfere with their democratic right to choose a union.”
The Board ordered remedial certification of the union, a remedy reserved for the most serious cases of employer misconduct. In addition to certifying the union, the Board ordered the employer to prominently post the decision in staff areas at the hotel.
This is the third downtown Vancouver hotel to join UNITE HERE Local 40 in the past six months. Local 40 recently organized Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni (formerly Shangri La) and Georgian Court Hotel.
The company that owns the EXchange Hotel, Executive Group, was also the source of controversy recently in the District of West Vancouver. A coalition of organizations raised concerns that a residential development owned by the company, Executive on the Park, is skirting rental housing commitments by marketing the units as extended-stay hotel units.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2026-01-08 11:06:272026-01-08 11:06:27News: Second Labour Board Ruling Finds Executive Hotel Group Broke the Law to Block Unionizing
VANCOUVER, BC — Hotel workers at the former Shangri-La Vancouver have secured a historic union contract that will raise wages for hotel workers to nearly $40 an hour by 2028, setting a new standard for hospitality jobs in Canada. The agreement affects approximately 90 workers who are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.
This is the workers’ first collective agreement, which was ratified with 98% voting in favour. It delivers substantial wage gains – 25% to 50% over the life of the contract – with hotel housekeepers expected to earn nearly $40 an hour by the end of the term. The deal also includes job-security provisions to protect workers through ownership or brand changes.
Beyond significant wage increases, workers gained a union pension as well as banquet transparency measures to ensure fair distribution of service charges. The three-year agreement will expire in 2028.
The hotel, originally developed by Westbank and Peterson Group, was sold to Brookfield Asset Management this summer and temporarily renamed Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni. The property will undergo renovations next year and be rebranded under the luxury Park Hyatt brand.
“We are proud to welcome Hyatt Alberni workers to Local 40. They have secured a new agreement that reflects what is possible when workers organize and stand together. We thank Hyatt for coming to the table to reach an agreement and for investing in workers at this hotel,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.
Hyatt Alberni workers joined Local 40 in July 2025. Their victory is part of a growing wave of hospitality workers rising up across B.C. This year alone, hundreds of workers at the Georgian Court Hotel, Vancouver Airport Marriott, Landsea Hospitality, Blackwater Mine, and other sites have unionized—showing that hospitality workers are on the move, standing strong, and reshaping the industry together.
Vancouver, BC – UNITE HERE Local 40 has filed an unfair labour practices (ULP) complaint with the BC Labour Relations Board alleging that Paradies Lagardère intimidated and retaliated against workers and unlawfully interfered in a union organizing drive at Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The complaint outlines a series of incidents beginning November 14, 2025. This was just two days after the union notified a YVR official that Paradies workers were seeking union representation due to wages that lag $6–$7 per hour behind similar positions in unionized concessions such as HMSHost and SSP.
According to the complaint, Paradies managers held closed-door captive audience meetings in which employees were questioned about whether they had signed union cards, told they should not have signed, and warned that unionizing would lead to negative consequences. One manager told several workers that if they joined the union, their healthcare benefits could be suspended and that she would become “a different person” who would not be willing to help them at work.
The complaint alleges that one union supporter faced explicit retaliation for legally protected activity when her hours were dramatically reduced shortly after management learned she had encouraged another worker to sign a union card. When the worker inquired about the reduction, the manager threatened her, advising her to be “very careful” about what she did next.
“These actions are textbook violations of the Labour Code,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Paradies is creating a climate of fear to stop workers from joining together to win better wages and stable scheduling. No worker at YVR should have to face intimidation or threats for exercising their right to organize.”
The union is seeking a declaration that Paradies violated the Labour Code and for the Board to order remedial certification.
The ULP comes after concerns emerged in another jurisdiction where Paradies operates: Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority received community concerns about worker treatment, health inspection issues, and low scores on equity and local business engagement criteria. Over 500 letters from Duval County residents, as well as a statement from the North Florida Central Labor Council, and calls from multiple city councilmembers, urged the Authority to select an alternative operator over Paradies. The Authority ultimately chose to partner with another operator at Jacksonville International Airport.
“Airports across North America are taking a hard look at the companies they partner with,” Chan said. “We believe YVR should do the same and ensure that any concessionaire operating here respects both workers and the law.”
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-12-10 11:57:402025-12-10 11:57:40YVR Airport Concessions Union files Unfair Labour Practices Complaint against Paradies Lagardère
Prince George, B.C. — Camp hospitality workers at the Blackwater Mine have ratified their first collective agreement with a unanimous vote, concluding months of negotiations and establishing significant improvements to wages and working conditions.
The agreement covers approximately 77 ATCO Frontec employees, including housekeepers, cooks and other kitchen workers who staff the remote work camp located approximately four hours outside Prince George. Bargaining began in May of this year, marking the first time the group negotiated a union contract. The workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.
Under the terms of the new agreement, workers will receive wage increases of more than $7 per hour, including retroactive pay, during the contract term. The settlement also introduces union benefits and a travel stipend, a key issue for workers who commute long distances to the remote camp site. The contract term is through 2027.
The agreement reflects growing expectations among remote-site hospitality staff for compensation aligned with the difficult demands of camp work.
“I’m proud of what we gained in this contract. A room attendant will be making $25.12 by the end of the contract, which means our pay is beginning to reflect the value of the hard work we do,” said Amina Farah, a housekeeper at the camp.
Workers at the camp provide essential services that support daily operations at the Artemis Gold-owned Blackwater Mine, preparing meals, maintaining accommodations, and ensuring the camp remains functional for the broader workforce on site.
“We won major wage increases plus benefits that were overdue in our camp. These jobs are challenging and far from home, but this contract gives us the stability we need to support ourselves and our families,” said Nathan Sykes, a 1st Cook at the Blackwater Mine site.
UNITE HERE Local 40 has organized over 1,000 remote hospitality and support-service workers in northern British Columbia in recent years.
UNITE HERE Local 40 sent a letter on Friday to Jacksonville City Council, raising concerns about the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s (JAA) partnership with airport concessions operator Paradies Lagardère. JAA will be awarding a new Retail Concessions contract on November 17th, for which Paradies is one of the applicants.
The letter outlines a series of issues related to Paradies Lagardère’s performance and compliance record at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and other airports across North America. UNITE HERE notes that Paradies received the lowest score of all bidders—2.33 out of 5—on the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) criteria in the JAA’s evaluation process, signaling inadequate engagement with small, disadvantaged businesses in Jacksonville.
UNITE HERE Local 40 also highlights past labor and management concerns at Paradies-operated locations. The company previously settled a federal class-action lawsuit for unpaid wages and missed meal breaks involving over 3,000 airport workers across eight airports, including Tampa International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Workers at Vancouver International Airport have reported erratic scheduling practices, reduced hours after probation periods, and difficulties accessing benefits.
The letter further notes operational challenges, citing underperformance at Paradies’ JAX food and beverage locations compared to other concessionaires, as well as repeated health and safety violations documented at the company’s operations in other airports.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is urging Jacksonville City Council to:
Call on the Jacksonville Aviation Authority to suspend consideration of Paradies Lagardère for the Retail Concessions contract scheduled for award on November 17.
End Paradies’ current hold-over operation of existing retail and restaurant contracts at JIA.
Prioritize future concession awards to operators that demonstrate consistent operational quality, fair labor standards, and meaningful engagement with disadvantaged business enterprises.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, the international union representing airport and hospitality workers across North America. The union advocates for fair wages, strong labor standards, and equitable economic opportunities within the airport concessions industry.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-11-11 12:01:072025-11-11 12:01:07Press Release – Airport Worker Union to Jacksonville City Council: End Partnership with Paradies Lagardère at Jacksonville International Airport
News: Second Labour Board Ruling Finds Executive Hotel Group Broke the Law to Block Unionizing
Board orders Remedial Certification of Union at EXchange Hotel
Vancouver, BC — For the second time in less than a year, the British Columbia Labour Relations Board has ruled that an affiliate of Executive Group broke the law to prevent workers from freely choosing union representation.
In a decision released January 2, 2026, the Board ordered the automatic certification of UNITE HERE Local 40 at the EXchange Hotel Vancouver after finding that management illegally interfered with the organizing drive through pressure, intimidation, and inducements.
The Board found that the employer:
Vice-Chair Jonathan Hanvelt ruled that these actions violated sections 6(1) and 6(3)(d) of the Labour Relations Code and effectively stopped the union campaign, making it impossible to determine workers’ true wishes through a vote.
Crucially, the Board pointed to a pattern of unlawful conduct by the same hotel group. In an earlier 2025 decision involving another Executive-branded property, Le Soleil Hotel, the Board found that management unlawfully interfered with union organizing by steering employees toward its preferred union, CLAC, to block UNITE HERE.
In the EXchange Hotel ruling, the Board Chair noted the remedy in this case needs to be a deterrent to future breaches, noting that some of the same decision-makers were involved in both cases and warning that lesser remedies risk becoming a “licence fee” for breaking the law.
“This is now the second Labour Board decision confirming that this hotel group crossed the legal line to stop workers from organizing,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “The message from the Board could not be clearer: employers do not get to intimidate workers or interfere with their democratic right to choose a union.”
The Board ordered remedial certification of the union, a remedy reserved for the most serious cases of employer misconduct. In addition to certifying the union, the Board ordered the employer to prominently post the decision in staff areas at the hotel.
This is the third downtown Vancouver hotel to join UNITE HERE Local 40 in the past six months. Local 40 recently organized Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni (formerly Shangri La) and Georgian Court Hotel.
The company that owns the EXchange Hotel, Executive Group, was also the source of controversy recently in the District of West Vancouver. A coalition of organizations raised concerns that a residential development owned by the company, Executive on the Park, is skirting rental housing commitments by marketing the units as extended-stay hotel units.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Press Release – Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni Workers Win Groundbreaking Contract, Setting New Wage Standard
VANCOUVER, BC — Hotel workers at the former Shangri-La Vancouver have secured a historic union contract that will raise wages for hotel workers to nearly $40 an hour by 2028, setting a new standard for hospitality jobs in Canada. The agreement affects approximately 90 workers who are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.
This is the workers’ first collective agreement, which was ratified with 98% voting in favour. It delivers substantial wage gains – 25% to 50% over the life of the contract – with hotel housekeepers expected to earn nearly $40 an hour by the end of the term. The deal also includes job-security provisions to protect workers through ownership or brand changes.
Beyond significant wage increases, workers gained a union pension as well as banquet transparency measures to ensure fair distribution of service charges. The three-year agreement will expire in 2028.
The hotel, originally developed by Westbank and Peterson Group, was sold to Brookfield Asset Management this summer and temporarily renamed Hyatt Vancouver Downtown Alberni. The property will undergo renovations next year and be rebranded under the luxury Park Hyatt brand.
“We are proud to welcome Hyatt Alberni workers to Local 40. They have secured a new agreement that reflects what is possible when workers organize and stand together. We thank Hyatt for coming to the table to reach an agreement and for investing in workers at this hotel,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40.
Hyatt Alberni workers joined Local 40 in July 2025. Their victory is part of a growing wave of hospitality workers rising up across B.C. This year alone, hundreds of workers at the Georgian Court Hotel, Vancouver Airport Marriott, Landsea Hospitality, Blackwater Mine, and other sites have unionized—showing that hospitality workers are on the move, standing strong, and reshaping the industry together.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
YVR Airport Concessions Union files Unfair Labour Practices Complaint against Paradies Lagardère
Vancouver, BC – UNITE HERE Local 40 has filed an unfair labour practices (ULP) complaint with the BC Labour Relations Board alleging that Paradies Lagardère intimidated and retaliated against workers and unlawfully interfered in a union organizing drive at Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The complaint outlines a series of incidents beginning November 14, 2025. This was just two days after the union notified a YVR official that Paradies workers were seeking union representation due to wages that lag $6–$7 per hour behind similar positions in unionized concessions such as HMSHost and SSP.
According to the complaint, Paradies managers held closed-door captive audience meetings in which employees were questioned about whether they had signed union cards, told they should not have signed, and warned that unionizing would lead to negative consequences. One manager told several workers that if they joined the union, their healthcare benefits could be suspended and that she would become “a different person” who would not be willing to help them at work.
The complaint alleges that one union supporter faced explicit retaliation for legally protected activity when her hours were dramatically reduced shortly after management learned she had encouraged another worker to sign a union card. When the worker inquired about the reduction, the manager threatened her, advising her to be “very careful” about what she did next.
“These actions are textbook violations of the Labour Code,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Paradies is creating a climate of fear to stop workers from joining together to win better wages and stable scheduling. No worker at YVR should have to face intimidation or threats for exercising their right to organize.”
The union is seeking a declaration that Paradies violated the Labour Code and for the Board to order remedial certification.
The ULP comes after concerns emerged in another jurisdiction where Paradies operates: Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority received community concerns about worker treatment, health inspection issues, and low scores on equity and local business engagement criteria. Over 500 letters from Duval County residents, as well as a statement from the North Florida Central Labor Council, and calls from multiple city councilmembers, urged the Authority to select an alternative operator over Paradies. The Authority ultimately chose to partner with another operator at Jacksonville International Airport.
“Airports across North America are taking a hard look at the companies they partner with,” Chan said. “We believe YVR should do the same and ensure that any concessionaire operating here respects both workers and the law.”
Blackwater Mine Camp Workers Ratify First Contract, Securing Major Wage Gains
Prince George, B.C. — Camp hospitality workers at the Blackwater Mine have ratified their first collective agreement with a unanimous vote, concluding months of negotiations and establishing significant improvements to wages and working conditions.
The agreement covers approximately 77 ATCO Frontec employees, including housekeepers, cooks and other kitchen workers who staff the remote work camp located approximately four hours outside Prince George. Bargaining began in May of this year, marking the first time the group negotiated a union contract. The workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40.
Under the terms of the new agreement, workers will receive wage increases of more than $7 per hour, including retroactive pay, during the contract term. The settlement also introduces union benefits and a travel stipend, a key issue for workers who commute long distances to the remote camp site. The contract term is through 2027.
The agreement reflects growing expectations among remote-site hospitality staff for compensation aligned with the difficult demands of camp work.
“I’m proud of what we gained in this contract. A room attendant will be making $25.12 by the end of the contract, which means our pay is beginning to reflect the value of the hard work we do,” said Amina Farah, a housekeeper at the camp.
Workers at the camp provide essential services that support daily operations at the Artemis Gold-owned Blackwater Mine, preparing meals, maintaining accommodations, and ensuring the camp remains functional for the broader workforce on site.
“We won major wage increases plus benefits that were overdue in our camp. These jobs are challenging and far from home, but this contract gives us the stability we need to support ourselves and our families,” said Nathan Sykes, a 1st Cook at the Blackwater Mine site.
UNITE HERE Local 40 has organized over 1,000 remote hospitality and support-service workers in northern British Columbia in recent years.
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785.
Press Release – Airport Worker Union to Jacksonville City Council: End Partnership with Paradies Lagardère at Jacksonville International Airport
UNITE HERE Local 40 sent a letter on Friday to Jacksonville City Council, raising concerns about the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s (JAA) partnership with airport concessions operator Paradies Lagardère. JAA will be awarding a new Retail Concessions contract on November 17th, for which Paradies is one of the applicants.
The letter outlines a series of issues related to Paradies Lagardère’s performance and compliance record at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and other airports across North America. UNITE HERE notes that Paradies received the lowest score of all bidders—2.33 out of 5—on the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) criteria in the JAA’s evaluation process, signaling inadequate engagement with small, disadvantaged businesses in Jacksonville.
UNITE HERE Local 40 also highlights past labor and management concerns at Paradies-operated locations. The company previously settled a federal class-action lawsuit for unpaid wages and missed meal breaks involving over 3,000 airport workers across eight airports, including Tampa International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Workers at Vancouver International Airport have reported erratic scheduling practices, reduced hours after probation periods, and difficulties accessing benefits.
The letter further notes operational challenges, citing underperformance at Paradies’ JAX food and beverage locations compared to other concessionaires, as well as repeated health and safety violations documented at the company’s operations in other airports.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is urging Jacksonville City Council to:
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, the international union representing airport and hospitality workers across North America. The union advocates for fair wages, strong labor standards, and equitable economic opportunities within the airport concessions industry.
CONTACT: Naya Holers | [email protected] | (720) 402-1273