Victoria Hotel Workers Strike Continues Amid Negotiation Stalemate

Workers at the Coast Victoria Hotel and Blue Crab Restaurant have been on strike since August 20, demanding better wages and improved working conditions. The situation escalated on September 17 when the management locked out 90 hospitality staff members represented by UNITE HERE Local 40. The management declared that after weeks of negotiations, they had reached a challenging impasse.

According to a statement from the hotel, “After several weeks of sincere and sustained efforts to negotiate a collective agreement, we have reached a deeply challenging impasse.” The union’s demands include a wage increase, safe workloads for housekeepers, adequate staffing levels, and respect at work.

The strike highlights significant disparities between the booming hotel industry in Victoria and the struggles of its workers. As Melissa Irvine, a room attendant and union spokesperson, noted, “Victoria is booming for hotel owners, but for the people doing the work, the city is becoming impossible to live in.”

The workers have been negotiating a new collective agreement, which expired on April 30. Currently, the union and management remain approximately $1 to $1.50 apart on wage proposals, depending on the job classification. Housekeepers were initially earning $22.84 per hour, and the union proposed an increase to just above the living wage in Victoria, which stands at $26.78. Irvine confirmed that the union had revised its request to $26 per hour.

The hotel, managed by the Tokyo-based APA Hotels & Resorts, implemented wage increases on June 1 without bargaining. Stephen Roughley, the general manager, stated that the hotel offers “the best health benefits and pension plan” among UNITE HERE properties in British Columbia. However, Irvine mentioned that workers rejected the raise to $25 per hour, emphasizing that their primary concerns extend beyond wages to include safety issues.

Many workers report feeling unsafe in their roles, an issue that has intensified since significant renovations occurred last year. The number of rooms housekeepers are expected to clean has remained unchanged, while the workload has increased, leading to injuries and higher rates of absenteeism. Irvine explained, “You just can’t physically clean the same number of rooms as you did before, because we now are responsible for cleaning the decks and vacuuming and mopping floors, as well as making the [towel] birds ourselves.”

Additional complaints include the physical strain caused by changes in bed heights, requiring staff to bend at uncomfortable angles, and the presence of broken kitchen equipment, such as an oven that does not close properly, which exposes employees to excessive heat.

In February, APA Hotels & Resorts reported record earnings across its international operations, amounting to 226 billion yen ($2.1 billion CAD), as the company noted in a publication that it was setting sales and profit records for consecutive periods. Despite this financial success, the hotel has resorted to locking out workers, claiming that the union has declined to participate in further bargaining or mediation.

Roughley stated, “This decision was not made lightly. Despite repeated invitations to return to the table, including offers of mediation, UNITE HERE Local 40 has declined to engage in good-faith negotiations.”

In contrast, Irvine refuted this claim, asserting that the union had arranged two bargaining dates on September 14 and 15 with a labour board mediator. She noted that the union had not received a response to its proposals over the past two months. “We just have not received a reply,” she said, adding that the hotel requested mediation back in May, but the labour board was unavailable until September.

Irvine expressed a sense of solidarity among workers across Canada, stating, “It seems like a lot of people have gone to the point where living in poverty isn’t good enough anymore.” She highlighted the community support the striking workers have received, referencing a recent rally that attracted over 300 participants.

Despite the ongoing strike, Coast Victoria Hotel remains operational. Roughley stated that while some services may be limited, the hotel is committed to minimizing disruptions. “We regret the impact this lockout may have on our guests, employees, and the wider community. Our objective remains unchanged: to reach a fair, sustainable, and negotiated settlement,” he said, reiterating a willingness to return to the bargaining table.

As the impasse continues, the situation reflects broader challenges within the hospitality industry, where workers are increasingly advocating for better pay and conditions in light of rising living costs.