Ramada Hotel workers will take a strike vote February 6, one day after the next bargaining date.
The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, held a rally outside the hotel this afternoon.
The almost 100 workers at the Ramada have not received a wage increase for nearly three years, and have been without a new contract since June 1, 2017. Ramada employees now earn up to $4/hour less than their counterparts at the Coast Inn of The North, according to the union. The Ramada is proposing a two-year wage freeze.
The escalating labour dispute at the Ramada comes on the heels of Local 40’s recent contract settlement with Coast Hotels in Nanaimo, Prince George and Victoria, which provided wage increases, a 50 per cent increase in pension contributions, significant health benefit improvements, and workload protections.
“The Ramada invested $6 million in improvements to the hotel,” said Stacey Moen, sous chef at the Ramada, in a news release. “When are they going to start investing in us? The minimum wage has gone up $2.50, the cost of living has risen dramatically, while we struggle to make ends meet. We are prepared to strike to get what we deserve.”
“The Prince George Labour movement stands with Local 40,” said Natalie Fletcher, President of the North Central Labour Council. “We support the workers at the Ramada. Prince George is a union town. Our affiliates have stopped doing business with the Ramada until a fair settlement is reached. We urge the Ramada to make a respectful proposal on February 5.”