UNITE HERE urges federal government to “Put Workers First” in bailouts of hospitality, aviation sectors
Vancouver – Today, hospitality workers held rallies in hard-hit tourism markets – Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa – and called on the Trudeau government to condition any industry bailouts of the hospitality and aviation sectors on provisions to preserve workers’ jobs. The government’s recent Throne Speech committed to providing support for the hard-hit tourism, hospitality, and aviation sectors.
UNITE HERE! Canada is urging the government to condition targeted sectoral bailouts on employers’ full participation in the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to cover their active and furloughed workers; assurances that laid-off workers have a right to return to their jobs for up to 24 months; and worker retention to secure the jobs of contracted workers in Canada’s airports. Few hospitality employers are using CEWS to cover furloughed workers as the program was intended. Without protections, most laid-off workers will not have a right to return to their jobs once the industry recovers.
Workers demonstrated outside the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and the St. Regis Toronto, while Ottawa Marriott workers held a virtual rally. The hotels are owned by InnVest, Canada’s largest hotel owner. InnVest CEO Lydia Chen sits on board of Hotel Association of Canada which is lobbying for bailout relief alongside airline and airport industry associations.
Heavily indebted hotel owners like InnVest stand to benefit from industry bailouts while thousands of workers face permanent layoffs. If past economic shocks are any guide, financial supports will help hotel investors and corporate interests pay their lenders but will not help laid-off workers remain attached to their jobs. Many of Canada’s hospitality and aviation sector workers have been laid-off since March and have not been recalled to their jobs. Industry experts suggest recovery of travel and tourism sectors may not begin in earnest until 2022 or later.
Randy Yadao, Laid-off Laundry Houseperson, Ottawa Marriott Hotel:
“My wife and I work in the hotel industry. It’s been hard for both of us to support our daughters and our family needs. Since being laid off we’re trying to save the best we can but without a job, I don’t know if we can still support our daughters’ dreams and give them a good education. It’s not our fault what’s happening right now. We work hard. I hope the government will make sure workers are recalled and tie bailouts to the wage subsidy.”
Leonora Mulholland, Laid-off room attendant, Fairmont Royal York (Toronto):
“I’ve worked at this hotel for 21 years. I cannot lose my job. This is about job security, knowing that I’ll have something to go back to after this pandemic passes and having my medical benefits contributions restored. I rely on many types of medication to survive and to support my special needs son, I can’t do this without some sense of security. The federal government must keep their promise to workers. We’ve given so much to this hotel, to this city, and to this entire economy. Will they leave us behind?”
“We have invested years of hard work to make this hotel successful. We are always there for Hyatt and InnVest when they need us. Now that times are hard, they won’t put us on the wage subsidy program and are refusing to give us 24 months to return to our jobs. If we had recall protections or the wage subsidy, we would have some security. These hotel companies shouldn’t get government bailout money if they won’t help us keep our jobs.”
###
UNITE HERE! Canada represents over 18,000 workers across the nation who work in the hotel, food service, airport, and gaming sectors.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2020-10-22 14:26:102020-10-23 12:47:24Press Release: UNITE HERE urges federal government to “Put Workers First” in bailouts of hospitality, aviation sectors
The Throne Speech outlined commitments to support the hard-hit tourism and hospitality sector. Canada’s largest hotel owner, InnVest Hotels, stands to benefit from industry bailouts while workers at their hotels are kicked off CEWS and face permanent layoffs. Laid-off hotel workers from InnVest-owned hotels, will hold multi-city actions to call attention to the need to put workers at the centre of any industry bailout.
WHO:
Laid-off hospitality workers in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, represented by the union for hospitality workers, UNITE HERE Canada.
WHEN:
Thursday, October 22, 2020
WHERE:
Toronto: Demonstration at The St. Regis Toronto
325 Bay Street, Toronto 11AM ET
Ottawa: Ottawa Marriott workers’ Action & Virtual Rally
Petition delivery – 10:30 AM ET 100 Kent St., Ottawa
Virtual Rally – 11 AM ET
Vancouver: Press Conference and Demonstration at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver
655 Burrard Street, Vancouver 12:30PM PT
WHY:
Canada’s travel and tourism workers were among the first and hardest hit by the economic impact of Covid-19. They will also be the last to return, with industry analysts suggesting recovery may not begin in earnest until 2022. The government may soon announce details on targeted industry supports but if past economic shocks are any guide, financial supports will help hotel investors and corporate interests pay their lenders but will not help laid-off workers remain attached to their jobs.
UNITE HERE represents over 18,000 members across Canada who work in the hotel, food service, airport, and gaming sectors.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2020-10-20 11:42:412020-10-20 12:15:39Media Advisory: Laid-off hospitality workers to hold actions in Toronto, Ottawa, & Vancouver; urge government to “Put Workers First” in any industry bailout
The provincial government’s economic recovery plan offers nothing of substance to protect the jobs of hospitality workers who have been laid off or terminated due to Covid. The takeaway from this plan is that BC’s hospitality workers are on their own.
While we can support economic assistance to hospitality employers, this should have been tied to a legally enforceable guarantee that if a business accepts tax dollars in any form you will return your laid-off staff when business improves.
The province could easily support job security for all of BC’s laid-off hospitality workers by granting workers a legal right of return to their pre-Covid jobs as conditions improve. We have seen similar measures successfully implemented across the border in San Francisco, Los Angeles County and elsewhere. It would provide some certainty to laid-off workers and, more importantly, would not cost the province a dime.
The province’s offer of jobs to hospitality workers in long-term care is a small gesture, but it leaves 47,000 hospitality workers to fend for themselves with no legal rights to get their jobs back, instead of being replaced as business recovers.
We look forward to learning more about the Tourism Task Force and how the province plans to reconnect laid-off workers to their jobs so that employers do not replace them with new lower wage workers when conditions improve.
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 Travis2020-09-17 17:20:162020-09-17 17:20:16Statement from Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40, regarding BC’s economic recovery plan
Great news for Kitimat camp workers! Camp workers at Civeo in Kitimat have won historic improvements in workload. With these changes, we expect Civeo housekeepers on average will clean 5 rooms LESS each day.
Improvements:
11 checkout LIMIT on a 10 hour shift!
LESS rooms for linen change rooms!
LESS rooms for more than 3 checkouts!
LESS rooms for travel time between rooms!
LESS rooms for travelling to additional floors!
LESS rooms for extra walkdowns!
“Many of us will now have several less rooms to clean everyday day. That means less stress, less injuries, and better morale,” said Monika Schuster, Housekeeping Shop Steward and Committee member. “I’m proud of our housekeepers, who stood together and won major improvements. When Local 40 members stand strong, we can improve our lives.”
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2020-09-03 11:55:522020-09-03 12:02:33Camp Workers at Civeo in Kitimat Win Historic Improvements in Workload
Vancouver, BC — Today, on September 1, 2020, laid-off hotel workers ended their “Fast for Our Jobs” hunger strike in Maple Ridge after winning a pathway to recall rights. The end of the hunger strike follows Labour Minister Harry Bains’ announcement on the report on recall protections, where he stated that any economic recovery package would contain a pledge for employers to offer a right of first refusal to existing employees when work resumes. While Bains’ announcement is a first step toward recall rights for laid-off workers, UNITE HERE Local 40 members will continue to push the hospitality industry to ensure workers are able to return to their pre-Covid jobs.
“I’m really proud of all that we did to organize this hunger strike. Hotel workers refused to stay silent and brought this crisis to the forefront. The fact that we came together, first in Victoria and then in Maple Ridge, to fast for 22 days to save 50,000 jobs, that’s an accomplishment. Minister Bains said that he’ll ask employers receiving financial aid to pledge to bring back workers and I look forward to seeing how the government will implement this,” said Naden Abenes, a laid-off room attendant from Hyatt Regency Vancouver who fasted for five days in the hunger strike.
The 22-day “Fast for Our Jobs” hunger strike began on August 10th on the lawn of the BC Legislature in Victoria. Last week, hotel workers moved their encampment to Tourism Minister Lisa Beare’s office in Maple Ridge and yesterday demonstrated outside Labour Minister Harry Bains’ office hours before his announcement.
-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.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2020-09-01 16:40:372020-09-01 16:41:11Hotel Workers Win a Pathway to Recall: Laid-off Hotel Workers End “Fast for Our Jobs” Hunger Strike after 22 Days of Struggle Urging the Government to Protect 50,000 Jobs
Press Release: UNITE HERE urges federal government to “Put Workers First” in bailouts of hospitality, aviation sectors
Contacts:
Melissa Sobers, [email protected], (416) 200-0207 (Toronto & Ottawa)
Stephanie Fung, [email protected], (604) 928-7356 (Vancouver)
UNITE HERE urges federal government to “Put Workers First” in bailouts of hospitality, aviation sectors
Vancouver – Today, hospitality workers held rallies in hard-hit tourism markets – Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa – and called on the Trudeau government to condition any industry bailouts of the hospitality and aviation sectors on provisions to preserve workers’ jobs. The government’s recent Throne Speech committed to providing support for the hard-hit tourism, hospitality, and aviation sectors.
UNITE HERE! Canada is urging the government to condition targeted sectoral bailouts on employers’ full participation in the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to cover their active and furloughed workers; assurances that laid-off workers have a right to return to their jobs for up to 24 months; and worker retention to secure the jobs of contracted workers in Canada’s airports. Few hospitality employers are using CEWS to cover furloughed workers as the program was intended. Without protections, most laid-off workers will not have a right to return to their jobs once the industry recovers.
Workers demonstrated outside the Hyatt Regency Vancouver and the St. Regis Toronto, while Ottawa Marriott workers held a virtual rally. The hotels are owned by InnVest, Canada’s largest hotel owner. InnVest CEO Lydia Chen sits on board of Hotel Association of Canada which is lobbying for bailout relief alongside airline and airport industry associations.
Heavily indebted hotel owners like InnVest stand to benefit from industry bailouts while thousands of workers face permanent layoffs. If past economic shocks are any guide, financial supports will help hotel investors and corporate interests pay their lenders but will not help laid-off workers remain attached to their jobs. Many of Canada’s hospitality and aviation sector workers have been laid-off since March and have not been recalled to their jobs. Industry experts suggest recovery of travel and tourism sectors may not begin in earnest until 2022 or later.
Randy Yadao, Laid-off Laundry Houseperson, Ottawa Marriott Hotel:
“My wife and I work in the hotel industry. It’s been hard for both of us to support our daughters and our family needs. Since being laid off we’re trying to save the best we can but without a job, I don’t know if we can still support our daughters’ dreams and give them a good education. It’s not our fault what’s happening right now. We work hard. I hope the government will make sure workers are recalled and tie bailouts to the wage subsidy.”
Leonora Mulholland, Laid-off room attendant, Fairmont Royal York (Toronto):
“I’ve worked at this hotel for 21 years. I cannot lose my job. This is about job security, knowing that I’ll have something to go back to after this pandemic passes and having my medical benefits contributions restored. I rely on many types of medication to survive and to support my special needs son, I can’t do this without some sense of security. The federal government must keep their promise to workers. We’ve given so much to this hotel, to this city, and to this entire economy. Will they leave us behind?”
Naden Abenes, Laid-off room attendant, Hyatt Regency Vancouver:
“We have invested years of hard work to make this hotel successful. We are always there for Hyatt and InnVest when they need us. Now that times are hard, they won’t put us on the wage subsidy program and are refusing to give us 24 months to return to our jobs. If we had recall protections or the wage subsidy, we would have some security. These hotel companies shouldn’t get government bailout money if they won’t help us keep our jobs.”
###
UNITE HERE! Canada represents over 18,000 workers across the nation who work in the hotel, food service, airport, and gaming sectors.
Media Advisory: Laid-off hospitality workers to hold actions in Toronto, Ottawa, & Vancouver; urge government to “Put Workers First” in any industry bailout
WHAT:
The Throne Speech outlined commitments to support the hard-hit tourism and hospitality sector. Canada’s largest hotel owner, InnVest Hotels, stands to benefit from industry bailouts while workers at their hotels are kicked off CEWS and face permanent layoffs. Laid-off hotel workers from InnVest-owned hotels, will hold multi-city actions to call attention to the need to put workers at the centre of any industry bailout.
WHO:
Laid-off hospitality workers in Toronto, Ottawa, and Vancouver, represented by the union for hospitality workers, UNITE HERE Canada.
WHEN:
Thursday, October 22, 2020
WHERE:
Toronto: Demonstration at The St. Regis Toronto
325 Bay Street, Toronto
11AM ET
Ottawa: Ottawa Marriott workers’ Action & Virtual Rally
Petition delivery – 10:30 AM ET
100 Kent St., Ottawa
Virtual Rally – 11 AM ET
Vancouver: Press Conference and Demonstration at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver
655 Burrard Street, Vancouver
12:30PM PT
WHY:
Canada’s travel and tourism workers were among the first and hardest hit by the economic impact of Covid-19. They will also be the last to return, with industry analysts suggesting recovery may not begin in earnest until 2022. The government may soon announce details on targeted industry supports but if past economic shocks are any guide, financial supports will help hotel investors and corporate interests pay their lenders but will not help laid-off workers remain attached to their jobs.
—
Contacts:
Stephanie Fung, [email protected], (604) 928-7356 (Vancouver)
Melissa Sobers, [email protected], (416) 200-0207 (Toronto & Ottawa)
UNITE HERE represents over 18,000 members across Canada who work in the hotel, food service, airport, and gaming sectors.
Statement from Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40, regarding BC’s economic recovery plan
For Immediate Release:
September 17, 2020
The provincial government’s economic recovery plan offers nothing of substance to protect the jobs of hospitality workers who have been laid off or terminated due to Covid. The takeaway from this plan is that BC’s hospitality workers are on their own.
While we can support economic assistance to hospitality employers, this should have been tied to a legally enforceable guarantee that if a business accepts tax dollars in any form you will return your laid-off staff when business improves.
The province could easily support job security for all of BC’s laid-off hospitality workers by granting workers a legal right of return to their pre-Covid jobs as conditions improve. We have seen similar measures successfully implemented across the border in San Francisco, Los Angeles County and elsewhere. It would provide some certainty to laid-off workers and, more importantly, would not cost the province a dime.
The province’s offer of jobs to hospitality workers in long-term care is a small gesture, but it leaves 47,000 hospitality workers to fend for themselves with no legal rights to get their jobs back, instead of being replaced as business recovers.
We look forward to learning more about the Tourism Task Force and how the province plans to reconnect laid-off workers to their jobs so that employers do not replace them with new lower wage workers when conditions improve.
Media Contacts:
Stephanie Fung, 604-928-7356, [email protected]; or Michelle Travis, 778-960-9785, [email protected].
###
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.
Camp Workers at Civeo in Kitimat Win Historic Improvements in Workload
Great news for Kitimat camp workers! Camp workers at Civeo in Kitimat have won historic improvements in workload. With these changes, we expect Civeo housekeepers on average will clean 5 rooms LESS each day.
Improvements:
“Many of us will now have several less rooms to clean everyday day. That means less stress, less injuries, and better morale,” said Monika Schuster, Housekeeping Shop Steward and Committee member. “I’m proud of our housekeepers, who stood together and won major improvements. When Local 40 members stand strong, we can improve our lives.”
Hotel Workers Win a Pathway to Recall: Laid-off Hotel Workers End “Fast for Our Jobs” Hunger Strike after 22 Days of Struggle Urging the Government to Protect 50,000 Jobs
Contact: Stephanie Fung, [email protected], 604-928-7356; or Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785
Vancouver, BC — Today, on September 1, 2020, laid-off hotel workers ended their “Fast for Our Jobs” hunger strike in Maple Ridge after winning a pathway to recall rights. The end of the hunger strike follows Labour Minister Harry Bains’ announcement on the report on recall protections, where he stated that any economic recovery package would contain a pledge for employers to offer a right of first refusal to existing employees when work resumes. While Bains’ announcement is a first step toward recall rights for laid-off workers, UNITE HERE Local 40 members will continue to push the hospitality industry to ensure workers are able to return to their pre-Covid jobs.
“I’m really proud of all that we did to organize this hunger strike. Hotel workers refused to stay silent and brought this crisis to the forefront. The fact that we came together, first in Victoria and then in Maple Ridge, to fast for 22 days to save 50,000 jobs, that’s an accomplishment. Minister Bains said that he’ll ask employers receiving financial aid to pledge to bring back workers and I look forward to seeing how the government will implement this,” said Naden Abenes, a laid-off room attendant from Hyatt Regency Vancouver who fasted for five days in the hunger strike.
The 22-day “Fast for Our Jobs” hunger strike began on August 10th on the lawn of the BC Legislature in Victoria. Last week, hotel workers moved their encampment to Tourism Minister Lisa Beare’s office in Maple Ridge and yesterday demonstrated outside Labour Minister Harry Bains’ office hours before his announcement.
-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.