The more than year-long labour dispute involving Hilton Metrotown and employees has officially ended.
Unite Here Local 40, the union representing the workers, said the tentative deal announced on May 10 was ratified yesterday with a 98% yes vote.
“I’m so proud of the solidarity of our members, the community, and the labour movement for their support and strength in achieving this win," Hilton Metrotown guest services lead and union bargaining committee member Sergio Moyer said in a news release.
"We’re ready to return to the Hilton Metrotown to do what we do best: serving our guests. Today (May 11) marks a monumental day for our union as we’ve been fighting on the picket line for 391 days straight. We are overjoyed with the response to the ratification and results.”
Under the new three-year agreement, the 97 workers that claimed they had been locked out since April of 2021 have been recalled.
The contract preserves housekeeping jobs and restores daily room cleaning, which the union says will help ensure safer workloads and improve the overall guest experience.
Also included are wage increases, a special bonus, protection of union health and pension benefits, new protection for gratuities and stronger recall protections for the future.
Unite Here Local 40 says the new contract expires May 31, 2025.
"Hilton Metrotown workers stayed united on the picket line for over a year, truly exemplifying the meaning of solidarity," Unite Here Local President Zailda Chan said.
"This was a hard-fought victory and the new contract sets us on a positive path with the hotel. Workers mobilized massive community support to boycott the hotel and sent a strong message to the hospitality industry that no worker should be treated like they’re disposable.”
The union said the hotel locked out room attendants, front desk agents, banquet, and kitchen staff on April 16, 2021, after terminating 97 long-term staff, impacting at least 50 workers who live in Burnaby — a move the union called "mass firings" amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
But hotel disputed the claim, saying workers were actually on strike and employees were free to return to work at any time, with no pre-conditions.
Unite Here Local 40 spokesperson Stephanie Fung had told the NOW in April that if employees returned to work, it would be conditional and included giving up union health and pension benefits, paid time off and workload protections that protect health and safety.
A process for returning to work was scheduled to begin today (May 12).
