Hotel Grand Pacific workers vote to strike if necessary

VICTORIA, Aug. 20, 2017 /CNW/ - Members of Unifor Local 114 working for the Hotel Grand Pacific have voted to strike if the employer refuses to bargain a fair deal by September 1 when the current contract expires.

"Other hotels in BC have signed onto a pattern agreement, but the Hotel Grand Pacific refuses to join the norm," said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. "Local 114 members deserve what other hotel workers have achieved, so the Grand Pacific is risking a major customer service interruption to buck the trend."

The union is seeking the Unifor hotel pattern agreement on term, eco-transit, domestic violence leave, and wages. Unifor negotiators say that if the pattern cannot be reached by September 1, strike action could commence and disrupt the hotel's operations on the long weekend.

"There is a clear and established path towards a new collective agreement so the Grand Pacific has a choice," said Mario Santos, Unifor National Representative and lead negotiator in the talks. "The employer can choose to give its workers what is the norm in the hotel industry, or it can begin a service disruption on a busy long weekend."

Unifor Local 114 represents almost 150 Grand Pacific workers in the housekeeping, culinary, groundskeeping, serving, guest relations, maintenance, and engineering.

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 310,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor

please contact Unifor Communications Representative Ian Boyko at [email protected] or 778-903-6549 (cell).