Volunteer Organizing Apprentice – UNITE HERE Local 40 (Vancouver, BC)
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.
Now, we are looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentices to help us expand our movement in Vancouver.
Position Summary
The Volunteer Organizing Apprenticeship is a hands-on opportunity to learn how to organize workers and build power in the hospitality industry. Apprentices will gain practical experience by supporting real campaigns and working directly with hospitality workers who are fighting for change in their workplaces.
Responsibilities
Build relationships with hospitality workers through one-on-one conversations
Support committees of workers to lead campaigns for justice on the job
Assist with planning and participating in rallies, delegations, and other actions
Work closely with experienced staff organizers to learn key organizing skills
Contribute to a team that is taking on some of the largest corporations in the industry
Qualifications
Strong belief in social justice and a passion for the labour movement
Committed to fighting for workers’ rights and helping people live with dignity in a city as expensive as Vancouver
Outgoing, reliable, and motivated to learn
Flexible with evenings and weekends when workers are available
Hospitality industry experience is a strong asset
No organizing experience required – full training provided
Multilingual skills are an advantage
Details
Location: Vancouver, BC (in-person work required)
Schedule: Flexible – evenings and weekends as needed
Duration: Flexible, with opportunities for advancement into paid roles
How to Apply
Please send a brief introduction about yourself and why you want to organize hospitality workers in Vancouver to: [email protected]
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-09-15 09:40:412025-09-15 16:53:09Local 40 is looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentice!
Victoria, BC — As Canada celebrates Labour Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the struggles, achievements, and essential contributions of working people, workers at Coast Victoria Hotel continue their fight on the picket line. Today marks the 13th consecutive day of their strike action, a courageous fight for living wages, fair workloads, and proper staffing levels.
The strike began after months of unsuccessful negotiations with hotel management, who have failed to address key issues that workers say are undermining their livelihoods and well-being. Workers are seeking living wages to meet the high cost of living in Victoria; fair housekeeping workloads so that room attendants have sufficient time to complete tasks and avoid injury; and proper staffing levels to address understaffing that impacts the quality of service for guests, as well as the health and safety of workers.
The Coast Victoria Hotel strike has galvanized local support from unions and community organizations. Throughout the strike, supporters and hotel customers have joined the picket line in solidarity with workers who are leading the call for better quality hospitality jobs in Victoria.
Victoria, like many Canadian cities, is facing a severe affordability crisis. The cost of housing, groceries, and other basics have increased, while wages have lagged behind. Hotel workers, the backbone of Victoria’s tourism economy, have seen the hotel business rebound far beyond pre-pandemic levels, while pay and working conditions do not reflect their essential contributions.
The strike at Coast Victoria Hotel is part of a larger wave of worker activism across the hospitality industry and other sectors of BC’s economy. This Labour Day, workers across sectors are voicing similar concerns to demand fair pay, manageable workloads, and dignified conditions.
“Labour Day is about the power and value of working people,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Coast Victoria workers are carrying on a proud tradition of standing up for fairness, not only for themselves but for all workers in our community.”
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http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-09-01 16:52:232025-09-01 16:52:37Media Release: Labour Day Marks 13th Day of Strike for Coast Victoria Hotel Workers
Edmonton, AB – Dexterra Horizon North camp hospitality workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, gathered outside Horizon North’s Edmonton travel hub yesterday morning in a spirited demonstration calling for respect, fair treatment, and enforcement of their hard-won contract.
Workers arrived with flags and energy as they demanded better working conditions in remote resource camps across northern British Columbia. Horizon North, a subsidiary of Dexterra Group (TSE: DXT), dispatches workers from Edmonton to remote camps where they endure 20-day rotations, 10 to 12 hour workdays, and long travel times away from their families.
“Today’s rally shows the strength and determination of camp workers who are ready to fight for the respect they deserve,” said Miranda Nedd, First Cook at Kobes Creek Lodge. “We are the backbone of Horizon North’s operations, yet we continue to face unfair treatment. That has to change.”
The successful demonstration marks an escalation in workers’ push for improved conditions, highlighting the growing frustration with Horizon North’s treatment of union members.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 1,000 camp hospitality workers and successfully negotiated new contracts at Red Chris Mine, Cedar Valley Lodge, Kobes Creek Attachie and CPC Montney Lodge earlier this year. The union continues to raise standards for workers across the sector.
Victoria, BC — Frontline workers at the Coast Victoria Hotel have walked off the job for the second time this month, escalating their call for urgent action on living wages, safe workloads, and proper staffing levels.
The strike, led by members of UNITE HERE Local 40, comes at a time when Victoria’s tourism industry is breaking records. Despite booming business, workers say they’re being pushed to the brink, unable to afford to live in the city they serve and forced to shoulder unsafe workloads due to chronic understaffing.
“Victoria is booming for hotel owners, but for the people doing the work, the city is becoming impossible to live in,” said Melissa Irvine, a room attendant;“We’re not asking for the moon, just enough to live where we work and to do our jobs safely, with adequate staff.”
“Our workloads are unsafe, our wages are unsustainable, and our patience has run out,” said Mike Hull, a server at the Blue Crab Restaurant. “With tourism this strong, there’s no excuse for Coast Victoria not to invest in the staff who keep our hotel running.”
Workers say the front desk and restaurant are understaffed, forcing employees to juggle multiple roles with little support. Room attendants report being pressured to clean newly renovated rooms, which take longer to service, at unsafe speeds, risking injury and burnout.
Despite repeated attempts to address these concerns through bargaining, management at Coast Victoria has failed to meaningfully respond. Workers say they will not return to negotiations until there is a clear commitment from the hotel to resolve core issues.
Meanwhile, Victoria’s hotel industry is enjoying its most profitable season in years. Hotel occupancy reached nearly 92% in June, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased 17% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. This is the strongest performance of any major BC hotel market, based on data from Destination BC.
Picket lines are now up outside the Coast Victoria Hotel, and the strike is expected to disrupt hotel operations as well as service at the Blue Crab Seafood House.
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-08-21 10:49:172025-08-21 10:49:17Coast Victoria Hotel Workers Strike Again, Demand Living Wages and Proper Staffing Amid Tourism Boom
Victoria, BC — Hospitality workers at Coast Victoria Hotel walked off the job and onto the picket line this morning, launching the city’s first hotel strike in decades.
Room attendants, front desk agents, kitchen staff, servers, and other employees began striking ahead of the busy August weekend, demanding safer workloads, respect on the job, and living wages. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, are conducting a 1-day strike to protest the company’s indifference to their longstanding concerns. Picket lines went up at 5AM this morning and will impact staffing at the hotel and the Blue Crab Seafood House.
The city of Victoria is experiencing a surge of visitors with hotel occupancy reaching nearly 92% last month. Coast Victoria has met the influx of tourists by charging hotel guests nearly $400 per night and up to $1,000 for some rooms. Workers are calling for living wages to keep up with the rising cost of living in the city, as the living wage in Victoria has climbed to nearly $27 an hour. Workers are also demanding safe housekeeping workloads, proper staffing, and respect on the job.
The workers have been in negotiations for a new collective agreement for several months. Their last collective agreement expired on April 30.
Coast Victoria is owned and operated by APA Hotels & Resorts, the Tokyo-based hotel chain. In February, APA reported record earnings across international operations of 226 billion yen ($2.1 billion CAD) and stated in a company publication that the company was “setting sales and profit records for the second period in a row.”
http://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.png00Michelle Travishttp://www.uniteherelocal40.org/wp-content/uploads/local40logo-300x155.pngMichelle Travis2025-08-08 09:50:532025-08-08 09:50:53BREAKING: Coast Victoria Hotel Workers are On Strike!
Local 40 is looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentice!
Volunteer Organizing Apprentice – UNITE HERE Local 40 (Vancouver, BC)
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.
Now, we are looking for Volunteer Organizing Apprentices to help us expand our movement in Vancouver.
Position Summary
The Volunteer Organizing Apprenticeship is a hands-on opportunity to learn how to organize workers and build power in the hospitality industry. Apprentices will gain practical experience by supporting real campaigns and working directly with hospitality workers who are fighting for change in their workplaces.
Responsibilities
Qualifications
Details
How to Apply
Please send a brief introduction about yourself and why you want to organize hospitality workers in Vancouver to: [email protected]
Media Release: Labour Day Marks 13th Day of Strike for Coast Victoria Hotel Workers
Victoria, BC — As Canada celebrates Labour Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the struggles, achievements, and essential contributions of working people, workers at Coast Victoria Hotel continue their fight on the picket line. Today marks the 13th consecutive day of their strike action, a courageous fight for living wages, fair workloads, and proper staffing levels.
The strike began after months of unsuccessful negotiations with hotel management, who have failed to address key issues that workers say are undermining their livelihoods and well-being. Workers are seeking living wages to meet the high cost of living in Victoria; fair housekeeping workloads so that room attendants have sufficient time to complete tasks and avoid injury; and proper staffing levels to address understaffing that impacts the quality of service for guests, as well as the health and safety of workers.
The Coast Victoria Hotel strike has galvanized local support from unions and community organizations. Throughout the strike, supporters and hotel customers have joined the picket line in solidarity with workers who are leading the call for better quality hospitality jobs in Victoria.
Victoria, like many Canadian cities, is facing a severe affordability crisis. The cost of housing, groceries, and other basics have increased, while wages have lagged behind. Hotel workers, the backbone of Victoria’s tourism economy, have seen the hotel business rebound far beyond pre-pandemic levels, while pay and working conditions do not reflect their essential contributions.
The strike at Coast Victoria Hotel is part of a larger wave of worker activism across the hospitality industry and other sectors of BC’s economy. This Labour Day, workers across sectors are voicing similar concerns to demand fair pay, manageable workloads, and dignified conditions.
“Labour Day is about the power and value of working people,” said Zailda Chan, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Coast Victoria workers are carrying on a proud tradition of standing up for fairness, not only for themselves but for all workers in our community.”
###
Hospitality Workers Rally Outside Horizon North Office in Edmonton to Demand Fair Treatment
Edmonton, AB – Dexterra Horizon North camp hospitality workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, gathered outside Horizon North’s Edmonton travel hub yesterday morning in a spirited demonstration calling for respect, fair treatment, and enforcement of their hard-won contract.
Workers arrived with flags and energy as they demanded better working conditions in remote resource camps across northern British Columbia. Horizon North, a subsidiary of Dexterra Group (TSE: DXT), dispatches workers from Edmonton to remote camps where they endure 20-day rotations, 10 to 12 hour workdays, and long travel times away from their families.
“Today’s rally shows the strength and determination of camp workers who are ready to fight for the respect they deserve,” said Miranda Nedd, First Cook at Kobes Creek Lodge. “We are the backbone of Horizon North’s operations, yet we continue to face unfair treatment. That has to change.”
The successful demonstration marks an escalation in workers’ push for improved conditions, highlighting the growing frustration with Horizon North’s treatment of union members.
UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 1,000 camp hospitality workers and successfully negotiated new contracts at Red Chris Mine, Cedar Valley Lodge, Kobes Creek Attachie and CPC Montney Lodge earlier this year. The union continues to raise standards for workers across the sector.
Media Contact: Rifat Islam – 604-619-0798 – [email protected]
Coast Victoria Hotel Workers Strike Again, Demand Living Wages and Proper Staffing Amid Tourism Boom
Victoria, BC — Frontline workers at the Coast Victoria Hotel have walked off the job for the second time this month, escalating their call for urgent action on living wages, safe workloads, and proper staffing levels.
The strike, led by members of UNITE HERE Local 40, comes at a time when Victoria’s tourism industry is breaking records. Despite booming business, workers say they’re being pushed to the brink, unable to afford to live in the city they serve and forced to shoulder unsafe workloads due to chronic understaffing.
“Victoria is booming for hotel owners, but for the people doing the work, the city is becoming impossible to live in,” said Melissa Irvine, a room attendant; “We’re not asking for the moon, just enough to live where we work and to do our jobs safely, with adequate staff.”
“Our workloads are unsafe, our wages are unsustainable, and our patience has run out,” said Mike Hull, a server at the Blue Crab Restaurant. “With tourism this strong, there’s no excuse for Coast Victoria not to invest in the staff who keep our hotel running.”
Workers say the front desk and restaurant are understaffed, forcing employees to juggle multiple roles with little support. Room attendants report being pressured to clean newly renovated rooms, which take longer to service, at unsafe speeds, risking injury and burnout.
Despite repeated attempts to address these concerns through bargaining, management at Coast Victoria has failed to meaningfully respond. Workers say they will not return to negotiations until there is a clear commitment from the hotel to resolve core issues.
Meanwhile, Victoria’s hotel industry is enjoying its most profitable season in years. Hotel occupancy reached nearly 92% in June, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) increased 17% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. This is the strongest performance of any major BC hotel market, based on data from Destination BC.
Picket lines are now up outside the Coast Victoria Hotel, and the strike is expected to disrupt hotel operations as well as service at the Blue Crab Seafood House.
Media Contact: Rifat Islam – 604.619.0798 – [email protected]
BREAKING: Coast Victoria Hotel Workers are On Strike!
For Immediate Release
Victoria, BC — Hospitality workers at Coast Victoria Hotel walked off the job and onto the picket line this morning, launching the city’s first hotel strike in decades.
Room attendants, front desk agents, kitchen staff, servers, and other employees began striking ahead of the busy August weekend, demanding safer workloads, respect on the job, and living wages. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, are conducting a 1-day strike to protest the company’s indifference to their longstanding concerns. Picket lines went up at 5AM this morning and will impact staffing at the hotel and the Blue Crab Seafood House.
The city of Victoria is experiencing a surge of visitors with hotel occupancy reaching nearly 92% last month. Coast Victoria has met the influx of tourists by charging hotel guests nearly $400 per night and up to $1,000 for some rooms. Workers are calling for living wages to keep up with the rising cost of living in the city, as the living wage in Victoria has climbed to nearly $27 an hour. Workers are also demanding safe housekeeping workloads, proper staffing, and respect on the job.
The workers have been in negotiations for a new collective agreement for several months. Their last collective agreement expired on April 30.
Coast Victoria is owned and operated by APA Hotels & Resorts, the Tokyo-based hotel chain. In February, APA reported record earnings across international operations of 226 billion yen ($2.1 billion CAD) and stated in a company publication that the company was “setting sales and profit records for the second period in a row.”
Media Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785