View video here. As hotel workers at the Delta Vancouver Airport (DVA) Hotel continue to seek a fair and decent contract that will bring them up to parity with their union brothers and sisters working in the downtown Vancouver corporate hotels, they gathered together in the spirit of the Christmas season to deliver a strong message to their employers – they will not be moved in their stand to get a fair deal now. “What the workers in this hotel want is no different than what happened with the hotel workers downtown,” said union president Jim Pearson. “What’s fair for downtown is what’s fair for the DVA!” he told the workers, referring to the historic contract signed this summer that saw 12% wage increases over three years and significant improvements to working conditions. The Vancouver & District Labour Council’s Solidarity Choir provided the musical background for the DVA hotel workers as they filed into the hotel lobby with a number of hotel guests looking on. Peter Julian, Member of Parliament for Burnaby-New Westminster, told the workers, “We’re here to say to Delta management DON’T act like Scrooge and DON’T act like The Grinch – treat your workers fairly and get a fair settlement!” Julian was joined by NDP MLA Raj Chouhan from Burnaby-Edmonds and MLA David Chudnovsky from Vancouver-Kensington as he told the workers, “On behalf of the Federal and Provincial NDP caucus, we stand with you in solidarity and we will fight with you to get a fair settlement from Delta management!” The workers were also supported by many prominent members of the community including labour leaders, union affiliates and representatives of faith based groups. Several interfaith leaders began the afternoon’s festivities by delivering a crèche ornament to the management of the DVA hotel. Minutes later, the Solidarity Choir came into the lobby, stood by the Christmas Tree, and starting singing Christmas carols. Choir members were soon joined by community and political leaders and then the downotwn Vancouver hotel workers and Aramark at GM Place workers as the singing continued but took a stronger union turn, with the movement standard, “We Shall Not Be Moved.” As the song continued, DVA workers joined the rest, singing together in the lobby. Workers at the DVA have been in contract negotiations since September. Union president Jim Pearson also told the workers, “This morning the president of the BC Teachers’ Union met with management at this hotel and told them they’re prepared to withdraw a million dollars worth of business if they don’t settle a contract with the workers and the union at this hotel. And that’s just the beginning!” Balwinder Cheema, a worker at the DVA, told the crowd, “I want to thank all the committee for supporting us and we’re going to fight until we win the downtown contract!” as her co-workers and supporters cheered. Chanting “Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power! What kind of power? Boycott power!” the workers filed out onto the front driveway of the hotel as they vowed to keep fighting for a fair and decent contract. The vast majority of DVA workers have signed a pledge authorizing union leadership to call a Boycott if necessary in order to win a fair contract. Bargaining is scheduled to resume in the New Year. | 
