Rally to be held this Thursday, February 13 at 4:00 PM
What: Family Day is around the corner, but dozens of families in Surrey are facing displacement due to City Council’s conditional approval of the redevelopment of Kwantlen Park Manor, which will take away affordable family-sized rentals. Mayor Locke and the Council moved the proposal forward despite the lack of proper public engagement. They are also allowing the developer to undermine the City of Surrey’s policy for rental housing redevelopment.
Demonstrators are urging City Hall to adopt a fair housing agreement with the developer that will protect the rights of current tenants to be offered affordable units in the proposed towers. The proposed redevelopment, which has not received final approval from the city, will also put more pressure on already stretched schools and the hospital, not to mention upending the lives of families who may be forced out to make way for higher-priced housing.
Who: Surrey residents, UNITE HERE Local 40 members, BC ACORN, and community allies.
When: Thursday, February 13, at 4:00 PM
Where: Surrey City Hall (Plaza), 13450 – 104 Avenue
Visuals: Rallygoers will be chanting, holding colorful signs and marching.
UNITE HERE Local 40 is the union for hospitality workers who live and work in communities across the province, including Surrey.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-02-13 11:06:372025-02-13 11:06:37Media Advisory: Surrey Residents, Union to hold Rally at Surrey City Hall: Put Surrey Families First!
Fort St. John, BC – Hospitality workers at Kobes Creek Lodge who serve workforce crews of natural gas projects in Northern BC have voted 93.5% in favour of strike action. The workers are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
The 31 camp culinary, housekeeping and janitorial workers are employed by Horizon North Camp Services, a division of Dexterra Group, at Kobes Creek Lodge. Workers have been in bargaining since December last year and are demanding better wages, travel pay, safe workloads, and improved benefits. Workers joined Local 40 last year in September over concerns about wages and working conditions.
“I work 12-hour days for 20 days straight, going above and beyond because I’m passionate about my job and the people I serve. So why am I being punished with an unmanageable workload? And why am I not earning a living wage for it? We deserve fair pay and respect.” said Miranda Nedd, First Cook.
Situated North of Fort St. John, in the core of British Columbia’s Montney resource region, Kobes Creek Lodge provides accommodations for workers in mining and related industries.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 1,000 camp hospitality workers and recently negotiated new contracts at Red Chris Mine and Cedar Valley Lodge that continue to raise standards for workers in the sector.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-02-13 10:39:222025-02-13 10:39:22Camp Workers at Kobes Creek Lodge Vote in Favour of Strike Action
Dease Lake, BC – Workers at Red Chris Mine, unionized with UNITE HERE Local 40, have overwhelmingly ratified a groundbreaking new contract with 99% support. This agreement establishes a new benchmark for camp workers’ wages and working conditions in British Columbia.
Workers will see their wages rise by over 40% over the next 18 months, marking one of the most significant gains for camp workers in BC. By the end of the contract, housekeepers at Red Chris Mine can expect to earn over $30 per hour, reflecting the essential nature of their work. Enhanced provisions will address workload concerns, ensuring more manageable and equitable work schedules for employees.
The road to this achievement began when workers at Red Chris Mine unionized with UNITE HERE Local 40 in April. Following months of negotiations, workers demonstrated their solidarity and determination with a strike vote in October, sending a clear message to management about their priorities.
The agreement sets a new standard for wages and working conditions across the province’s camp-based industries and underscores the growing momentum of worker organizing in resource and hospitality sectors.
Located in the “Golden Triangle” of Northwestern British Columbia, the Red Chris Mine is owned by Newmont, one of the largest gold mining companies globally.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents about 1,000 camp hospitality workers. Camp workers continue to organize for better standards across the province. Most recently, workers at three Horizon North camps around the Fort St John area joined Local 40.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2024-12-09 11:28:152024-12-09 11:28:15Press Release: Local 40 camp workers at Red Chris Mine vote 99% to approve first union contract, setting new standard for BC camp workers
WHAT: On the eve of the heavily anticipated final shows of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Vancouver, striking workers at Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport will hold a demonstration on Thursday, December 5. Protestors are urging Swifties to use alternative accommodations to avoid encountering noisy demonstrations, reduced services, and skeletal staffing.
WHO: Striking Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport workers and community allies.
WHEN:Thursday, December 5, at 5PM.
WHERE: Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport, 3500 Cessna Drive, Richmond, BC.
WHY: The strikers, predominantly women who have worked at the hotel for decades, have been on strike for over 1,300 days. They went on strike after 143 of their co-workers were terminated during the pandemic. Workers are striking for secure jobs to return to and for family-supporting wages and working conditions. The BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress have issued a boycott against Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport and The Deck at Radisson Blu.
Swifties are urged to use FairHotel.org to find a hotel that is not behind picket lines.
VISUALS: Striking hotel workers and their supporters banging drums, chanting and marching, carrying banners, and signs.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785, or
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2024-12-03 13:50:302024-12-03 13:50:30Media Advisory: Hotel workers to Hold Rally Urging Swifties to Honour the Picket Line amid Taylor Swift’s Final Eras Tour Shows!
Workers ratify new contract with 98% voting in favour
Vancouver, BC – Downtown Vancouver workers just secured the highest wages for hotel workers in Canada. In a ratification vote yesterday, Hyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore, and Pinnacle Waterfront workers overwhelmingly voted in favour of this historic new collective agreement.
The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, will earn cumulative increases of 34% over the contract term. Under the new agreement, a room attendant will earn nearly $32.50 per hour on January 1 and will make over $37 per hour in 2027.
“This contract is a game-changer for us. We are proud of what our union won in this contract fight,” said Naden Abenes, a Hyatt room attendant. “The new wage increases will help us afford to live in Vancouver, and other gains we made, like year-around health benefits for everyone, means we can take better care of our families without constant worry.”
The Union pushed back against a cap on health care and other concessions proposed by employers. Tipped and non-tipped workers will be able to access the new year-round benefits once they come into effect. The companies also agreed to contribute more toward workers’ pensions to improve retirement security.
Under the new agreement, workers will have enhanced workplace protections, including a reduction in housekeeping workload, an increase in wage premiums for those doing overnight and training work, and stronger gratuity protections. Workers also secured extended recall protections in the event of another pandemic, as well as unlimited recall rights for renovations and natural and man-made emergencies, ensuring workers’ seniority and job security are protected.
Hundreds of Hyatt, Westin Bayshore and Pinnacle workers took action in this round of bargaining, participating in rallies, delegations, petitions, work stoppages and a one-day strike by Hyatt workers this July, to press for fair wages and working standards in Canada’s priciest hotel market.
“Vancouver’s hotel workers have set a new standard for Canada’s hospitality industry,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “The achievements in this agreement are a testament to the power of workers and the critical role Local 40 members play in the success of Vancouver’s tourism sector.”
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2024-11-21 10:24:102024-11-21 10:24:10BREAKING: Downtown Vancouver Hotel Workers Secure Highest Hotel Wages in Canada
Media Advisory: Surrey Residents, Union to hold Rally at Surrey City Hall: Put Surrey Families First!
Rally to be held this Thursday, February 13 at 4:00 PM
What: Family Day is around the corner, but dozens of families in Surrey are facing displacement due to City Council’s conditional approval of the redevelopment of Kwantlen Park Manor, which will take away affordable family-sized rentals. Mayor Locke and the Council moved the proposal forward despite the lack of proper public engagement. They are also allowing the developer to undermine the City of Surrey’s policy for rental housing redevelopment.
Demonstrators are urging City Hall to adopt a fair housing agreement with the developer that will protect the rights of current tenants to be offered affordable units in the proposed towers. The proposed redevelopment, which has not received final approval from the city, will also put more pressure on already stretched schools and the hospital, not to mention upending the lives of families who may be forced out to make way for higher-priced housing.
Who: Surrey residents, UNITE HERE Local 40 members, BC ACORN, and community allies.
When: Thursday, February 13, at 4:00 PM
Where: Surrey City Hall (Plaza), 13450 – 104 Avenue
Visuals: Rallygoers will be chanting, holding colorful signs and marching.
Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
###
UNITE HERE Local 40 is the union for hospitality workers who live and work in communities across the province, including Surrey.
Camp Workers at Kobes Creek Lodge Vote in Favour of Strike Action
Fort St. John, BC – Hospitality workers at Kobes Creek Lodge who serve workforce crews of natural gas projects in Northern BC have voted 93.5% in favour of strike action. The workers are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.
The 31 camp culinary, housekeeping and janitorial workers are employed by Horizon North Camp Services, a division of Dexterra Group, at Kobes Creek Lodge. Workers have been in bargaining since December last year and are demanding better wages, travel pay, safe workloads, and improved benefits. Workers joined Local 40 last year in September over concerns about wages and working conditions.
“I work 12-hour days for 20 days straight, going above and beyond because I’m passionate about my job and the people I serve. So why am I being punished with an unmanageable workload? And why am I not earning a living wage for it? We deserve fair pay and respect.” said Miranda Nedd, First Cook.
Situated North of Fort St. John, in the core of British Columbia’s Montney resource region, Kobes Creek Lodge provides accommodations for workers in mining and related industries.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 1,000 camp hospitality workers and recently negotiated new contracts at Red Chris Mine and Cedar Valley Lodge that continue to raise standards for workers in the sector.
Contact: Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798
Press Release: Local 40 camp workers at Red Chris Mine vote 99% to approve first union contract, setting new standard for BC camp workers
Dease Lake, BC – Workers at Red Chris Mine, unionized with UNITE HERE Local 40, have overwhelmingly ratified a groundbreaking new contract with 99% support. This agreement establishes a new benchmark for camp workers’ wages and working conditions in British Columbia.
Workers will see their wages rise by over 40% over the next 18 months, marking one of the most significant gains for camp workers in BC. By the end of the contract, housekeepers at Red Chris Mine can expect to earn over $30 per hour, reflecting the essential nature of their work. Enhanced provisions will address workload concerns, ensuring more manageable and equitable work schedules for employees.
The road to this achievement began when workers at Red Chris Mine unionized with UNITE HERE Local 40 in April. Following months of negotiations, workers demonstrated their solidarity and determination with a strike vote in October, sending a clear message to management about their priorities.
The agreement sets a new standard for wages and working conditions across the province’s camp-based industries and underscores the growing momentum of worker organizing in resource and hospitality sectors.
Located in the “Golden Triangle” of Northwestern British Columbia, the Red Chris Mine is owned by Newmont, one of the largest gold mining companies globally.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents about 1,000 camp hospitality workers. Camp workers continue to organize for better standards across the province. Most recently, workers at three Horizon North camps around the Fort St John area joined Local 40.
Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785 or Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798
Media Advisory: Hotel workers to Hold Rally Urging Swifties to Honour the Picket Line amid Taylor Swift’s Final Eras Tour Shows!
WHAT: On the eve of the heavily anticipated final shows of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in Vancouver, striking workers at Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport will hold a demonstration on Thursday, December 5. Protestors are urging Swifties to use alternative accommodations to avoid encountering noisy demonstrations, reduced services, and skeletal staffing.
WHO: Striking Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport workers and community allies.
WHEN: Thursday, December 5, at 5PM.
WHERE: Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport, 3500 Cessna Drive, Richmond, BC.
WHY: The strikers, predominantly women who have worked at the hotel for decades, have been on strike for over 1,300 days. They went on strike after 143 of their co-workers were terminated during the pandemic. Workers are striking for secure jobs to return to and for family-supporting wages and working conditions. The BC Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress have issued a boycott against Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport and The Deck at Radisson Blu.
Swifties are urged to use FairHotel.org to find a hotel that is not behind picket lines.
VISUALS: Striking hotel workers and their supporters banging drums, chanting and marching, carrying banners, and signs.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785, or
Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798
BREAKING: Downtown Vancouver Hotel Workers Secure Highest Hotel Wages in Canada
Workers ratify new contract with 98% voting in favour
Vancouver, BC – Downtown Vancouver workers just secured the highest wages for hotel workers in Canada. In a ratification vote yesterday, Hyatt Regency, Westin Bayshore, and Pinnacle Waterfront workers overwhelmingly voted in favour of this historic new collective agreement.
The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, will earn cumulative increases of 34% over the contract term. Under the new agreement, a room attendant will earn nearly $32.50 per hour on January 1 and will make over $37 per hour in 2027.
“This contract is a game-changer for us. We are proud of what our union won in this contract fight,” said Naden Abenes, a Hyatt room attendant. “The new wage increases will help us afford to live in Vancouver, and other gains we made, like year-around health benefits for everyone, means we can take better care of our families without constant worry.”
The Union pushed back against a cap on health care and other concessions proposed by employers. Tipped and non-tipped workers will be able to access the new year-round benefits once they come into effect. The companies also agreed to contribute more toward workers’ pensions to improve retirement security.
Under the new agreement, workers will have enhanced workplace protections, including a reduction in housekeeping workload, an increase in wage premiums for those doing overnight and training work, and stronger gratuity protections. Workers also secured extended recall protections in the event of another pandemic, as well as unlimited recall rights for renovations and natural and man-made emergencies, ensuring workers’ seniority and job security are protected.
Hundreds of Hyatt, Westin Bayshore and Pinnacle workers took action in this round of bargaining, participating in rallies, delegations, petitions, work stoppages and a one-day strike by Hyatt workers this July, to press for fair wages and working standards in Canada’s priciest hotel market.
“Vancouver’s hotel workers have set a new standard for Canada’s hospitality industry,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “The achievements in this agreement are a testament to the power of workers and the critical role Local 40 members play in the success of Vancouver’s tourism sector.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785 or
Rifat Islam, [email protected], 604-619-0798