Vancouver, B.C.— Airline catering workers who are employed by Gate Gourmet and serve dozens of airlines at Vancouver International Airport, will hold a press conference today, July 27, at YVR Airport. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, are currently in bargaining with management over wage increases and better healthcare benefits. While big airlines such as Air Canada gave $10 million in executive bonuses after receiving a $5.9 billion bailout from the Canadian government, contracted airline catering workers have been left behind.
WHO: Over a dozen airline catering workers and allies
WHERE:Vancouver International Airport (Air Canada Check-in at Terminal M – Main Terminal), 3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond
WHEN:TODAY, Wednesday, July 27, 11 a.m.
VISUALS: Airline catering workers chanting and speaking with colourful banners, signs, and bullhorns.
Media availability with UNITE HERE Local 40 representatives and airline catering workers.
For interviews immediately or upon request, please contact: Stephanie Fung, 604-928-7356, sfung@unitehere40.com
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality workers’ union and represents members in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-07-27 08:50:412022-07-27 08:50:41Media Advisory: Airline Catering Workers at YVR Airport to Hold Press Conference
UNITE HERE Local 40 is on the move! Over the last two years, we have had roughly 500 new camp and culinary workers join Local 40 on projects throughout Northern B.C.
Local 40’s camp organizing is featured in the latest edition of TradeTalk Magazine – click on: “Don’t Mourn, Organize!” to learn more.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-07-22 17:02:332022-07-22 17:05:32Don’t Mourn, Organize! (Local 40 featured in TradeTalk)
Vancouver, BC — Workers at Jericho Tennis Club, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, have reached a new collective agreement and secured significant wage increases to meet the rising cost of living. This victory comes as Vancouverites are seeing the highest levels of inflation in decades.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include total wage increases of more than 10% over the course of the 3-year agreement, retroactive wage increases back to last fall, and contract language that ensures more employees will have access to quarterly bonuses.
“We’re happy to win our new collective agreement because these raises will allow all of us to better provide for our families,” said Lyndon Roberts, bargaining committee member and a Groundsperson at the Club.
“Negotiating the collective agreement at Jericho took a strong team effort of our bargaining committee, and all of the union members who participated. Keep up the good work and more victories will come,” said Quinton Heddema, bargaining committee member and long-term Cook.
“With inflation at its highest rate in decades, BC hospitality employers need to fairly compensate employees for their hard work. We want to thank the management of Jericho Tennis Club for working with us to reach an agreement that allows our union members to move forward,” said Mike Biskar, Organizer at UNITE HERE Local 40.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents thousands of BC hospitality workers, including over 350 employees at private member clubs across the Lower Mainland.
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-07-07 13:07:442022-07-07 13:07:44Jericho Tennis Club Workers Win Big Increases Amidst Record High Inflation in Vancouver
Kitimat, BC— Today, nearly 200 contract camp workers who work on the LNG Canada site in Kitimat delivered a petition to management urging the company to increase their wages by 12%. This comes after LNG Canada announced a 12% wage increase to all building trades workers earlier this month. The contract camp workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, BC’s camp workers union.
Contract workers on the LNG Canada site include janitors, housekeepers, front desk, and culinary employees, who were left out of the 12% wage increase that the company announced to building trades workers. These contract workers are the lowest-paid employees on the pipeline. Compared to other LNG Canada workers, many contract workers are also women, Indigenous, and people of colour.
So far, the petition has garnered close to 200 signatures from workers at Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge. The petition details how the wage increase addresses concerns of skyrocketing inflation and living costs for building trades workers, yet most contract workers on the pipeline who were excluded from the wage increase live paycheque to paycheque.
“Us janitors worked through Covid. We played a significant role ensuring LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant continued to run during the pandemic by protecting people’s health and safety. Along with housekeepers, front desk, and culinary workers, we are the backbone of this project and deserve to be treated with respect,” said Murray Innes, LNG janitor from the Gitxaala Nation.
“Housekeepers, janitors, and culinary workers are an integral part of the progression of the pipeline and we should not be treated as second class workers. That’s why those of us from Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge, are backing this petition. LNG Canada needs to recognize the hard work we do and extend the 12% wage increase to us immediately!” said Monika Schuster, housekeeping supervisor at Civeo at Sitka Lodge.
Media Contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356
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UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality and camp workers’ union and represents members in construction camps and the hotel, food service, and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-27 09:39:172022-06-29 11:11:00200 Camp Workers Deliver Signed Petition, Urge LNG Canada to Extend 12% Wage Increase to Contracted Workers
Jacksonville hotel, currently under boycott, terminated 122 workers after receiving millions in Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure businesses who received forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans used the funds for payroll as Congress intended. In a recent letter to the SBA, the congressman questioned millions in loans directed to Westmont Hospitality Group, a large hotel owner whose affiliate owns Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and which terminated 122 workers after receiving the first of two PPP loans.
The letter dated June 9 states that Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 120 hotel workers six weeks after the owner was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan during the pandemic. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of PPP loans were required to spend 60% of loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
“It concerns me that public funds directed to the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville may not have benefited those who truly needed it. I believe strong transparency and oversight are needed to ensure that companies who can demonstrate how they protected workers’ jobs receive forgiveness of PPP loans,” wrote Rep. Lawson.
In the letter, Lawson asked the SBA to account for how much of the hotel’s PPP loans actually went to payroll costs and whether those funds were used to pay for the hotel’s renovations. The hotel spent millions to renovate its meeting and event space last year. The SBA originally intended to review all loans of $2 million or more but will now review loans after they have been forgiven. Rep. Lawson encouraged the SBA to review borrowers like Westmont Hospitality which received more than $2 million in PPP loans. Westmont affiliates took over $48 million in PPP loans across the U.S.
Rep. Lawson joins other U.S. representatives who have raised concerns about the PPP loan compliance process and have urged the SBA to update Members of Congress on its plans to ensure loans were properly forgiven. In March, Members of Congress expressed concerns over PPP loans granted to large hospitality employers and called on SBA to increase transparency and oversight of its loan forgiveness process.
This month, hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 40 launched a customer boycott against the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel in response to the pandemic terminations. The AFL-CIO has endorsed the boycott.
Media contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.org, 604-928-7356.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE International Union. UNITE HERE is the hospitality workers’ union in the U.S. and Canada that represents hundreds of thousands of workers in hotels, gaming, restaurants and food service, and airports, including more than 30,000 workers across the state of Florida.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2022-06-23 14:24:402022-06-23 14:24:40Florida Congressman urges SBA to scrutinize forgiveness of loans intended for small businesses, cites Hyatt Jacksonville
Media Advisory: Airline Catering Workers at YVR Airport to Hold Press Conference
Vancouver, B.C.— Airline catering workers who are employed by Gate Gourmet and serve dozens of airlines at Vancouver International Airport, will hold a press conference today, July 27, at YVR Airport. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, are currently in bargaining with management over wage increases and better healthcare benefits. While big airlines such as Air Canada gave $10 million in executive bonuses after receiving a $5.9 billion bailout from the Canadian government, contracted airline catering workers have been left behind.
WHO: Over a dozen airline catering workers and allies
WHERE: Vancouver International Airport (Air Canada Check-in at Terminal M – Main Terminal), 3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond
WHEN: TODAY, Wednesday, July 27, 11 a.m.
VISUALS: Airline catering workers chanting and speaking with colourful banners, signs, and bullhorns.
Media availability with UNITE HERE Local 40 representatives and airline catering workers.
For interviews immediately or upon request, please contact:
Stephanie Fung, 604-928-7356, sfung@unitehere40.com
-30-
UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality workers’ union and represents members in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
Don’t Mourn, Organize! (Local 40 featured in TradeTalk)
UNITE HERE Local 40 is on the move! Over the last two years, we have had roughly 500 new camp and culinary workers join Local 40 on projects throughout Northern B.C.
Local 40’s camp organizing is featured in the latest edition of TradeTalk Magazine – click on: “Don’t Mourn, Organize!” to learn more.
Jericho Tennis Club Workers Win Big Increases Amidst Record High Inflation in Vancouver
Vancouver, BC — Workers at Jericho Tennis Club, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, have reached a new collective agreement and secured significant wage increases to meet the rising cost of living. This victory comes as Vancouverites are seeing the highest levels of inflation in decades.
Highlights of the new collective agreement include total wage increases of more than 10% over the course of the 3-year agreement, retroactive wage increases back to last fall, and contract language that ensures more employees will have access to quarterly bonuses.
“We’re happy to win our new collective agreement because these raises will allow all of us to better provide for our families,” said Lyndon Roberts, bargaining committee member and a Groundsperson at the Club.
“Negotiating the collective agreement at Jericho took a strong team effort of our bargaining committee, and all of the union members who participated. Keep up the good work and more victories will come,” said Quinton Heddema, bargaining committee member and long-term Cook.
“With inflation at its highest rate in decades, BC hospitality employers need to fairly compensate employees for their hard work. We want to thank the management of Jericho Tennis Club for working with us to reach an agreement that allows our union members to move forward,” said Mike Biskar, Organizer at UNITE HERE Local 40.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents thousands of BC hospitality workers, including over 350 employees at private member clubs across the Lower Mainland.
###
UNITE HERE Local 40 is a labour union representing workers in the hotel, food service and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
200 Camp Workers Deliver Signed Petition, Urge LNG Canada to Extend 12% Wage Increase to Contracted Workers
Kitimat, BC — Today, nearly 200 contract camp workers who work on the LNG Canada site in Kitimat delivered a petition to management urging the company to increase their wages by 12%. This comes after LNG Canada announced a 12% wage increase to all building trades workers earlier this month. The contract camp workers are represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, BC’s camp workers union.
Contract workers on the LNG Canada site include janitors, housekeepers, front desk, and culinary employees, who were left out of the 12% wage increase that the company announced to building trades workers. These contract workers are the lowest-paid employees on the pipeline. Compared to other LNG Canada workers, many contract workers are also women, Indigenous, and people of colour.
So far, the petition has garnered close to 200 signatures from workers at Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge. The petition details how the wage increase addresses concerns of skyrocketing inflation and living costs for building trades workers, yet most contract workers on the pipeline who were excluded from the wage increase live paycheque to paycheque.
“Us janitors worked through Covid. We played a significant role ensuring LNG Canada’s Kitimat plant continued to run during the pandemic by protecting people’s health and safety. Along with housekeepers, front desk, and culinary workers, we are the backbone of this project and deserve to be treated with respect,” said Murray Innes, LNG janitor from the Gitxaala Nation.
“Housekeepers, janitors, and culinary workers are an integral part of the progression of the pipeline and we should not be treated as second class workers. That’s why those of us from Civeo at Sitka Lodge, Horizon North Dexterra at the LNG site, and Crossroads Lodge, are backing this petition. LNG Canada needs to recognize the hard work we do and extend the 12% wage increase to us immediately!” said Monika Schuster, housekeeping supervisor at Civeo at Sitka Lodge.
Media Contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.com, 604-928-7356
###
UNITE HERE Local 40 is the hospitality and camp workers’ union and represents members in construction camps and the hotel, food service, and airport industries throughout British Columbia. Learn more at UniteHereLocal40.org.
Florida Congressman urges SBA to scrutinize forgiveness of loans intended for small businesses, cites Hyatt Jacksonville
Jacksonville hotel, currently under boycott, terminated 122 workers after receiving millions in Paycheck Protection Program loans
Jacksonville, Florida — U.S. Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to ensure businesses who received forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program loans used the funds for payroll as Congress intended. In a recent letter to the SBA, the congressman questioned millions in loans directed to Westmont Hospitality Group, a large hotel owner whose affiliate owns Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront and which terminated 122 workers after receiving the first of two PPP loans.
The letter dated June 9 states that Hyatt Jacksonville terminated 120 hotel workers six weeks after the owner was approved for a $3.49 million PPP loan during the pandemic. More workers were terminated before the owner was approved for a second PPP loan of $2 million. Recipients of PPP loans were required to spend 60% of loan proceeds on payroll costs to justify loan forgiveness.
“It concerns me that public funds directed to the owner of Hyatt Jacksonville may not have benefited those who truly needed it. I believe strong transparency and oversight are needed to ensure that companies who can demonstrate how they protected workers’ jobs receive forgiveness of PPP loans,” wrote Rep. Lawson.
In the letter, Lawson asked the SBA to account for how much of the hotel’s PPP loans actually went to payroll costs and whether those funds were used to pay for the hotel’s renovations. The hotel spent millions to renovate its meeting and event space last year. The SBA originally intended to review all loans of $2 million or more but will now review loans after they have been forgiven. Rep. Lawson encouraged the SBA to review borrowers like Westmont Hospitality which received more than $2 million in PPP loans. Westmont affiliates took over $48 million in PPP loans across the U.S.
Rep. Lawson joins other U.S. representatives who have raised concerns about the PPP loan compliance process and have urged the SBA to update Members of Congress on its plans to ensure loans were properly forgiven. In March, Members of Congress expressed concerns over PPP loans granted to large hospitality employers and called on SBA to increase transparency and oversight of its loan forgiveness process.
This month, hospitality workers union UNITE HERE Local 40 launched a customer boycott against the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront hotel in response to the pandemic terminations. The AFL-CIO has endorsed the boycott.
To view the letter, click here.
Media contact: Stephanie Fung, sfung@unitehere40.org, 604-928-7356.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is an affiliate of UNITE HERE International Union. UNITE HERE is the hospitality workers’ union in the U.S. and Canada that represents hundreds of thousands of workers in hotels, gaming, restaurants and food service, and airports, including more than 30,000 workers across the state of Florida.