The Mixer, December, 2007 Bargaining reaches critical point at
Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel and Holiday Inn Vancouver Hotel workers at the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond and the Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre have been in bargaining since September of this year, and Local 40 President/Administrator Jim Pearson reports negotiations have now reached a critical point. “After months of trying to hammer out a deal with each of these employers, it is becoming very clear we are now at a critical point in negotiations,” says Pearson, lead negotiator for this round of bargaining. “These workers are firmly committed to getting a fair deal - one that brings them the same wage increases and benefits their counterparts working in downtown Vancouver recently achieved with their historic agreement.” Workers at both of these hotels have been signing up to be on the union’s bargaining committee and are actively involved in negotiations. They are also organizing within their hotels, generating added support and sharing information with their co-workers. And outside of the hotels, workers are connecting with their community groups and bringing awareness of the importance of this round of negotiations. “Our organizers have been instrumental in helping the hotel workers coordinate public support from their community groups and political allies,” says Pearson. “We have held a pledge drive, asking our traditional supporters in the labour movement to contact us before booking additional events at these hotels and to support hotel workers with a letter writing campaign directed at these employers. Our strategy seems to be having an impact as we know it has certainly caught the attention of these employers.” Customers of the Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel, who also happen to be major labour unions in the community, recently visited management at the hotel, where they presented a ‘void’ cheque in the amount of $1.1 million – the amount of annual business they do at this property. Although an official boycott of these two hotels has not yet been called, the union is meeting with the BC Federation of Labour the week before Christmas to discuss further strategy as talks have now reached this critical point. Further actions are planned and we will keep you updated with developments on Local 40’s website, www.local40union.com. | 
