Burnaby, BC – Food service workers at Simon Fraser University (SFU), employed by Compass Group Canada, have voted 98% in favour of strike action. The 215 workers are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
“We were told we’d finally get a living wage, but Compass has failed to deliver,” said Nouha Ishaq, a food service worker at SFU. “It’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet in this city. Many of us are working full-time and still struggling to afford food, rent, and transportation.”
Despite SFU’s stated commitment to implementing a living wage for third-party contractors, workers say their paycheques prove otherwise.
This week, workers delivered a petition signed by 500 SFU students demanding that Compass pay its food service staff a living wage. Students rallied alongside workers in a powerful show of solidarity on April 23, calling on SFU to hold its contractor accountable for fair and just compensation.
SFU Compass workers prepare and serve meals across the Burnaby campus and are the frontline staff at key dining locations. Many have worked through the pandemic and continue to play a vital role in the university’s operations, yet still earn wages significantly below the Metro Vancouver living wage, currently $27.05/hour.
The workers have been in bargaining since February. Their current contract is set to expire on Wednesday April 30.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 5,500 hospitality workers including hotels, airports, camp service, and food service workers across the province, and has recently secured major gains for all workers in these areas.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-04-25 13:48:392025-04-25 13:48:39SFU Food Service Workers Vote 98% in Favour of Strike Action for a $27 Living Wage
What: On the eve of Sean Orr and Lucy Maloney being sworn in to Vancouver City Council––after winning a clear mandate running on a platform of affordable housing––Vancouver residents are joining UNITE HERE Local 40 in rallying to oppose a proposed Hotel Development Policy that would make it easier for billionaire developers to build hotels.
City staff are recommending council approve the policy on Tuesday morning. We are opposing the industry-backed plan for a simple reason: Vancouver needs affordable housing, not more hotel rooms.
Demonstrators will call on City Council to reject the proposal and focus on building affordable homes for the people who live and work in Vancouver. Mayor Ken Sim has said his party will “do better” and listen to voters—this is the chance to prove it.
Who: Sean Orr, hotel workers, housing advocates, and community allies.
When: Monday, April 14 at 5:00 PM
Where: Vancouver City Hall (North Plaza), 453 West 12th Avenue
Visuals: Colorful signs, chants, and speakers demanding housing justice.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-04-14 09:27:482025-04-14 18:58:00Media Advisory: Vancouver Residents to Rally at City Hall: Put Housing Before Hotels!
Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel Workers Win Longest Strike in Canadian History
Bravery leads to victory: After four years on strike, terminated workers win jobs back, plus a new union contract that sets a standard for Metro Vancouver area hotel employees.
Vancouver, BC—Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport hotel workers have won their 1,411-day strike and have ratified a new collective agreement that ends Canada’s longest-running labour dispute which sets a new standard for hotel workers in the Metro Vancouver area. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 40, the union for BC hospitality workers.
The new agreement between workers, represented by Local 40, and Radisson Blu hotel management provides a pathway back to work for the 143 workers terminated during the pandemic, strong job security protections, a new wage standard for Metro Vancouver area hotel workers, and new workload and tip protections. Workers will earn the highest wages in the Vancouver Airport market and surrounding metro area markets.
Photos and B-roll are available for download here.
“I feel great about our new contract. I have worked at the hotel since 1991, until I was terminated during the pandemic. I really want to go back. My co-workers have been a second family to me. I am so proud that we stuck together. Even though it took a hell of a long time to get here, we stood up for what we believed in. It was a struggle and hard on my family financially, especially with a mortgage to pay. Without the Union, we would not have won our jobs back or gotten a strong contract,” said Jillan Louie, a server and striker.
“Being brave paid off for workers at the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport. During the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, seventy percent of the hotel’s unionized staff were terminated. Instead of giving up, the workers stood strong through rain, snow, heat, and other extremes to fight back. They made history by striking longer than any worker in Canada has before. Not only did the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport strikers win back their jobs and a standard-setting union contract, but they also showed that if you dare to fight and never give up, you will win,” said Zailda Chan, president of UNITE HERE Local 40.
Dozens of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport (formerly Pacific Gateway) room attendants, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers, servers, baristas, housemen, and maintenance workers chose to be brave, sacrificing their own livelihoods by walking out on strike on May 3, 2021. They demanded that their co-workers who were terminated during the pandemic be reinstated to their jobs and fought rollbacks in wages and working conditions. At the time, the 400-room hotel was fully booked by the federal government and used as a quarantine site for international travelers.
UNITE HERE Local 40 and Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport have issued a joint statement regarding the conclusion of the dispute:
UNITE HERE Local 40 and the owners of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport have concluded a negotiated collective agreement with the assistance of mediator Ken Saunders. The Parties are committed to working together in the future with mutual respect and have agreed to several mechanisms to address labour-management issues going forward.
It is our intention that the new collective agreement will serve as a reset in our relationship to re-establish and strengthen a productive and positive working relationship between the employer, the union, and the unionized staff.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include:
All former Pacific Gateway workers terminated during the pandemic have the right to return based on seniority; right of recall extends for 36 months.
Highest hotel wages in Vancouver Airport/Richmond market; returning room attendants will earn up to $28.25/hour; returning cooks will earn up to $32.50/hour.
No rollbacks on wages, benefits and working conditions. Contract gains include medical benefit improvements with lower eligibility requirements; new personal days; and sick days that may be carried over, and other benefits.
The agreement adopts industry leading standards such as daily room cleaning to ensure high sanitation standards for guests and safer workloads, as well as new gratuity and transparency protections for tipped workers.
Unlimited recall protections in the event of a pandemic, emergency or renovations, and other job security protections, including expedited arbitration to address disputes arising out of return-to-work issues, and training for all returning staff.
Together, we all look forward to welcoming guests back to Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel and to providing the top-notch service our guests have come to expect over the years.
The new agreement lifts the boycott of the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel launched by the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.
###
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-03-17 09:31:242025-03-17 09:31:24BREAKING: Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel Workers Win Longest Strike in Canadian History
Fort St. John, BC – Hospitality workers of ConocoPhilips accommodation camp at CPC Montney Lodge voted 100% in favor of strike action. The group of workers employed by Horizon North, provide essential food and cleaning services for oil and natural gas crews in Northern BC. They are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
The 50 culinary, housekeeping, and janitorial workers at the camp are employed by Horizon North Camp Services, a division of Dexterra Group. They now stand alongside the 62 workers from Attachie Lodge and Kobes Creek Lodge in the fight for fair wages, sustainable workloads, travel pay, and better benefits. Workers at the three camps joined Local 40 last year in response to concerns over low wages and poor working conditions.
“I have been working as a janitor on 12-hour shifts for 20 days straight, and I take great pride in my job. I make sure our clients receive the highest standard of cleanliness, maintaining both office spaces and camp areas with dedication and attention to detail. We work hard every day, and we deserve fair wages, better benefits, and the compensation that reflects our effort,” said Celia Chifungo, a janitor at CPC Montney Lodge.
CPC Montney Lodge is located north of Fort St. John, in the heart of British Columbia’s Montney resource region. It serves as a key accommodation site for workers for ConocoPhilips oil and natural gas operations in the area.
This is the third camp where Horizon North employees have taken steps toward job action. Earlier this month, workers at Kobes Creek Lodge and Attachie Lodge—both supporting oil and gas crews outside of Fort St. John—also voted in favor of striking over wages and working conditions.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents roughly 1,000 camp hospitality workers and has recently secured new contracts at Red Chris Mine and Cedar Valley Lodge, continuing to set higher standards across the industry.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-03-04 09:46:592025-03-04 09:46:59Workers at ConocoPhilips Accommodation Camp Vote to Strike Over Low Wages, Working Conditions
UNITE HERE Local 40 is hiring a Dues/Membership Administrator!
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.
Local 40 is presently seeking a Dues/Membership Administrator. This position reports to the Office Director and is a probationary term leading to a permanent position.
Description: Dues/Membership Administrator
Job Responsibilities (include but are not limited to the following):
Processing of Union Dues
Ensuring employers are following the Local’s dues processes correctly
Updating Local 40 membership information
Maintain filing system and other administrative office day-to-day issues
Process invoices
Generate necessary reports as required
Other duties as assigned
Job Requirements/Qualifications: The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
1-2 years experience in related field is preferred
Knowledge of office management systems and procedures
Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Excel, Word; G Suite, Mac & PC
Working knowledge of office equipment; e.g., printers, fax machines, and copiers
Demonstrated excellent organizational skills and high capacity for attention to details.
Passionate belief in the importance of trade unions for raising the quality of life for working people
Desire to contribute to the labour movement’s effort to create a more just and equitable society
Proficient data entry
Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritize work
Ability to work independently within the context of a plan
Good interpersonal and communication skills; must work well with others
Salary and Hours: 8 hour workday from Monday to Friday; start time is flexible any time between 8 and 930am. Starting salary between $55,000 to $60,000 and up to $60,000 to $65,000 after 1 year.
Please submit a resume and references, along with a cover letter, to [email protected]with “Dues Administrator Application” in the subject line. Please include your available start date in the cover letter. Position is available immediately.
SFU Food Service Workers Vote 98% in Favour of Strike Action for a $27 Living Wage
Burnaby, BC – Food service workers at Simon Fraser University (SFU), employed by Compass Group Canada, have voted 98% in favour of strike action. The 215 workers are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
“We were told we’d finally get a living wage, but Compass has failed to deliver,” said Nouha Ishaq, a food service worker at SFU. “It’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet in this city. Many of us are working full-time and still struggling to afford food, rent, and transportation.”
Despite SFU’s stated commitment to implementing a living wage for third-party contractors, workers say their paycheques prove otherwise.
This week, workers delivered a petition signed by 500 SFU students demanding that Compass pay its food service staff a living wage. Students rallied alongside workers in a powerful show of solidarity on April 23, calling on SFU to hold its contractor accountable for fair and just compensation.
SFU Compass workers prepare and serve meals across the Burnaby campus and are the frontline staff at key dining locations. Many have worked through the pandemic and continue to play a vital role in the university’s operations, yet still earn wages significantly below the Metro Vancouver living wage, currently $27.05/hour.
The workers have been in bargaining since February. Their current contract is set to expire on Wednesday April 30.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 5,500 hospitality workers including hotels, airports, camp service, and food service workers across the province, and has recently secured major gains for all workers in these areas.
Contact: Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798
Media Advisory: Vancouver Residents to Rally at City Hall: Put Housing Before Hotels!
Rally to be held Monday, April 14 at 5:00 PM
What: On the eve of Sean Orr and Lucy Maloney being sworn in to Vancouver City Council––after winning a clear mandate running on a platform of affordable housing––Vancouver residents are joining UNITE HERE Local 40 in rallying to oppose a proposed Hotel Development Policy that would make it easier for billionaire developers to build hotels.
City staff are recommending council approve the policy on Tuesday morning. We are opposing the industry-backed plan for a simple reason: Vancouver needs affordable housing, not more hotel rooms.
Demonstrators will call on City Council to reject the proposal and focus on building affordable homes for the people who live and work in Vancouver. Mayor Ken Sim has said his party will “do better” and listen to voters—this is the chance to prove it.
Who: Sean Orr, hotel workers, housing advocates, and community allies.
When: Monday, April 14 at 5:00 PM
Where: Vancouver City Hall (North Plaza), 453 West 12th Avenue
Visuals: Colorful signs, chants, and speakers demanding housing justice.
Contact: Nate Holers, [email protected], 250-889-7682
BREAKING: Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel Workers Win Longest Strike in Canadian History
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785; Rifat Islam, [email protected], (604) 619-0798, or Meghan Cohorst, [email protected].
Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel Workers Win Longest Strike in Canadian History
Bravery leads to victory: After four years on strike, terminated workers win jobs back, plus a new union contract that sets a standard for Metro Vancouver area hotel employees.
Vancouver, BC—Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport hotel workers have won their 1,411-day strike and have ratified a new collective agreement that ends Canada’s longest-running labour dispute which sets a new standard for hotel workers in the Metro Vancouver area. The workers are members of UNITE HERE Local 40, the union for BC hospitality workers.
The new agreement between workers, represented by Local 40, and Radisson Blu hotel management provides a pathway back to work for the 143 workers terminated during the pandemic, strong job security protections, a new wage standard for Metro Vancouver area hotel workers, and new workload and tip protections. Workers will earn the highest wages in the Vancouver Airport market and surrounding metro area markets.
Photos and B-roll are available for download here.
“I feel great about our new contract. I have worked at the hotel since 1991, until I was terminated during the pandemic. I really want to go back. My co-workers have been a second family to me. I am so proud that we stuck together. Even though it took a hell of a long time to get here, we stood up for what we believed in. It was a struggle and hard on my family financially, especially with a mortgage to pay. Without the Union, we would not have won our jobs back or gotten a strong contract,” said Jillan Louie, a server and striker.
“Being brave paid off for workers at the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport. During the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic, seventy percent of the hotel’s unionized staff were terminated. Instead of giving up, the workers stood strong through rain, snow, heat, and other extremes to fight back. They made history by striking longer than any worker in Canada has before. Not only did the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport strikers win back their jobs and a standard-setting union contract, but they also showed that if you dare to fight and never give up, you will win,” said Zailda Chan, president of UNITE HERE Local 40.
Dozens of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport (formerly Pacific Gateway) room attendants, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers, servers, baristas, housemen, and maintenance workers chose to be brave, sacrificing their own livelihoods by walking out on strike on May 3, 2021. They demanded that their co-workers who were terminated during the pandemic be reinstated to their jobs and fought rollbacks in wages and working conditions. At the time, the 400-room hotel was fully booked by the federal government and used as a quarantine site for international travelers.
UNITE HERE Local 40 and Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport have issued a joint statement regarding the conclusion of the dispute:
UNITE HERE Local 40 and the owners of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport have concluded a negotiated collective agreement with the assistance of mediator Ken Saunders. The Parties are committed to working together in the future with mutual respect and have agreed to several mechanisms to address labour-management issues going forward.
It is our intention that the new collective agreement will serve as a reset in our relationship to re-establish and strengthen a productive and positive working relationship between the employer, the union, and the unionized staff.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include:
Together, we all look forward to welcoming guests back to Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel and to providing the top-notch service our guests have come to expect over the years.
The new agreement lifts the boycott of the Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel launched by the BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.
###
Workers at ConocoPhilips Accommodation Camp Vote to Strike Over Low Wages, Working Conditions
Fort St. John, BC – Hospitality workers of ConocoPhilips accommodation camp at CPC Montney Lodge voted 100% in favor of strike action. The group of workers employed by Horizon North, provide essential food and cleaning services for oil and natural gas crews in Northern BC. They are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
The 50 culinary, housekeeping, and janitorial workers at the camp are employed by Horizon North Camp Services, a division of Dexterra Group. They now stand alongside the 62 workers from Attachie Lodge and Kobes Creek Lodge in the fight for fair wages, sustainable workloads, travel pay, and better benefits. Workers at the three camps joined Local 40 last year in response to concerns over low wages and poor working conditions.
“I have been working as a janitor on 12-hour shifts for 20 days straight, and I take great pride in my job. I make sure our clients receive the highest standard of cleanliness, maintaining both office spaces and camp areas with dedication and attention to detail. We work hard every day, and we deserve fair wages, better benefits, and the compensation that reflects our effort,” said Celia Chifungo, a janitor at CPC Montney Lodge.
CPC Montney Lodge is located north of Fort St. John, in the heart of British Columbia’s Montney resource region. It serves as a key accommodation site for workers for ConocoPhilips oil and natural gas operations in the area.
This is the third camp where Horizon North employees have taken steps toward job action. Earlier this month, workers at Kobes Creek Lodge and Attachie Lodge—both supporting oil and gas crews outside of Fort St. John—also voted in favor of striking over wages and working conditions.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents roughly 1,000 camp hospitality workers and has recently secured new contracts at Red Chris Mine and Cedar Valley Lodge, continuing to set higher standards across the industry.
Contact: Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798
We’re Hiring: Dues/Membership Administrator
Job Opportunity: Dues/Membership Administrator
Start Date: June 1, 2025
UNITE HERE Local 40 is hiring a Dues/Membership Administrator!
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.
Local 40 is presently seeking a Dues/Membership Administrator. This position reports to the Office Director and is a probationary term leading to a permanent position.
Description: Dues/Membership Administrator
Job Responsibilities (include but are not limited to the following):
Job Requirements/Qualifications: The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Salary and Hours: 8 hour workday from Monday to Friday; start time is flexible any time between 8 and 930am. Starting salary between $55,000 to $60,000 and up to $60,000 to $65,000 after 1 year.
Please submit a resume and references, along with a cover letter, to [email protected] with “Dues Administrator Application” in the subject line. Please include your available start date in the cover letter. Position is available immediately.