Local 40’s offices in Burnaby recently hosted a number of UNITE HERE leaders from the Pacific Northwest area to discuss strategic planning initiatives focusing on food service and laundry worker issues. Travelling to British Columbia from California to attend the meeting were UNITE HERE Vice-President Jim Dupont and Lead Organizer John Dalrymple. They were joined by Local 40 President Jim Pearson, Canadian Co-Director Nick Worhaug and Rick Sawyer, Local 8 President from Seattle, among others. Local 40 holds five membership meetings a year and encourages all members who are able to attend to come to the meetings. Membership meetings are also where union business matters are discussed. The most recent union meeting took place at the Hilton Metrotown in Burnaby in September with activity reports given by the union officers as well as a review of correspondence received by the union. A motion was passed by the membership instructing Local 40 to hire a Community Organizer as part of the ongoing revitalization and transformation program the union has embarked on. Members of Local 40’s Executive Board attend every membership meeting. The next meeting takes place at the end of November. The annual BC Federation of Labour Convention will be held at the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 26 to 28, 2007. This year’s event will discuss policy matters and will feature guest speakers as well as a series of workshops. The official convention hotel is the Westin Bayshore, a Local 40 certification.  Local 40 members working at the Richmond Hotel recently lost a long time colleague when Sister Avtar Kaur Sidhu passed away suddenly in September.
Shop Chair Donna Bullough said, “Avtar is greatly missed by all of us here at the hotel, but most of all, her sisters and brothers who worked with her in the kitchen are sadly missing her. Sister Sidhu worked in the kitchen at the Richmond hotel for the past 18 years. She leaves behind a large family of children and grandchildren as well as her husband Jasbir. Union president Jim Pearson extended his deepest sympathies to Avtar’s family on behalf of the Local 40 family. At the Richmond Hotel in Richmond, Shop Chair Donna Bullough reports members have been very successful organizing their “Workplace Committees” and addressing their shop floor concerns through meetings and sending delegations to their employer seeking resolution for their issues. “It’s been a very successful way of dealing with our concerns,” reports Sister Bullough. “We’re very pleased with the actions that have been taken by management as a result of our efforts. All in all, this method of finding resolution has improved our workplace.” The Richmond Hotel is seeking to hire more workers in all departments as the labour crunch continues to affect many hotel properties in BC. UNITE HERE Local 40 members working at the Cara Flight Kitchen in Richmond have seen some positive changes since the new contract signed in the summer came into effect, reports Union Rep Jean Poulton. “Members at the Flight Kitchen are seeing some new hires and there is lots of work since the company gained some new servicing contracts,” says Poulton. A successful Shop Steward training session took place in November for members who were elected by their union brothers and sisters working at the Flight Kitchen. Members have now received copies of their new collective agreement. If you haven’t yet received your new contract booklet, please contact your Shop Steward or Union Rep Jean Poulton. Local 40 President Jim Pearson reports talks at the Vancouver International Airport between the union and HMS Host have now been adjourned as both sides have been unable to come to an agreement on the merge of two collective agreements: one covering workers who were previously employed by Cara, who sold their airport restaurant division to HMS Host, and the long standing contract with HMS Host that covers workers at a number of food and retail outlets at the airport. Talks have been ongoing since August and, despite this setback, the union looks forward to a fair and decent resolution for all UNITE HERE workers at the airport. | 
