Striking Vancouver hotel workers to vote on tentative agreement
Hotel workers have been on strike since Sept. 19
The union representing about 1,500 striking Vancouver hotel workers has reached a tentative agreement with three out of the four hotels involved.
Sharan Pawa, communications specialist with Unite Here Local 40, said in a release a ground-breaking agreement was secured early Tuesday morning with the Westin Bayshore, Hyatt Regency and Pinnacle Harbourfront.
Pawa says the deal also includes the Four Seasons Hotel, where staff were not striking.
However, the picket line is now moving in front of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia, where no agreement has been reached, as it was not a part of the bargaining group that included the other hotels.
"We're very glad we've reached this tentative agreement," said Pawa.
Union members will vote Wednesday on whether to accept the tentative agreement. Pawa expects a decision will be announced Wednesday evening.
BREAKING: Early this morning, on DAY #27 of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vancouver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vancouver</a> hotel workers strike, a tentative agreement was reached between <a href="https://twitter.com/unitehere?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNITEHERE</a> Local 40 and the Westin Bayshore, Hyatt Regency, Pinnacle Harbourfront & Four Seasons hotels! More details to follow. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bclab?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bclab</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canlab?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canlab</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/yvr?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#yvr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/canada?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#canada</a> <a href="https://t.co/y0WOlrUMLi">pic.twitter.com/y0WOlrUMLi</a>
—@UniteHere40The specific details of the agreement are being kept private until after the vote, but Pawa says they include a significant wage increase for staff over four years, protections against sexual harassment, job security for room attendants and kitchen workers and continued health insurance.
Workers have been striking since Sept. 19 when room attendants, chefs, front-desk staff and other employees walked off the job after more than a year of negotiations over issues related to safety, workload and job security failed to yield results.