Strike at Vancouver airport hotel ends after over 1,400 days
A labour dispute among hotel workers near Vancouver International Airport (YVR) that first began during the pandemic has finally ended after nearly four years.
Unite Here Local 40 announced today that a new collective agreement has been ratified between the workers of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport Hotel and the employer.
The waterfront hotel on the Fraser River is located at Sea Island, near the southern end of the Arthur Laing Bridge and the entrance onto the main access road to the airport.
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The 1974-built, 12-storey hotel features 382 guest rooms, a seasonal on-site pool, 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting rooms, and a waterside restaurant.
“UNITE HERE Local 40 and the owners of Radisson Blu Vancouver Airport have concluded a negotiated collective agreement with the assistance of mediator Ken Saunders. The Parties are committed to working together in the future with mutual respect and have agreed to several mechanisms to address labour-management issues going forward,” reads a rare joint statement by both a union and the employer.
“It is our intention that the new collective agreement will serve as a reset in our relationship to re-establish and strengthen a productive and positive working relationship between the employer, the union, and the unionized staff.”
When the labour dispute first began 1,411 days ago, the property carried the Pacific Gateway Hotel name. In 2023, it was renamed under the Radisson Blu chain.
The dispute began in 2020 during the early days of the pandemic when the Government of Canada used the hotel as a quarantine site for international passengers arriving at YVR in need of a suitable place to conduct their 14-day quarantine. The federal government used the services of the Red Cross to perform some of the responsibilities typically performed by hotel workers.
Hotel workers began their strike on May 3, 2021, in objection to co-workers who were terminated and fought against rollbacks in wages and working conditions. According to the union, 143 hotel workers were terminated during the pandemic.
The new collective agreement provides all former hotel workers terminated during the pandemic with the right to return based on seniority, with the right of recall extending for 36 months.
Returning room attendants will earn up to $28.25 per hour while returning cooks will earn up to $32.50 per hour. There will be new gratuity and transparency protections for tipped workers.
Workers also secured improved medical benefits with lower eligibility requirements, new personal days, and sick days that may be carried over.
Moving forward, the employer will provide unlimited recall protections in the event of future pandemics, emergencies, or property renovations, as well as other job security protections.