Unionized staff at the Sheraton Vancouver Airport went on strike early Wednesday morning, demanding wages that are equal to other high-end hotels in the Lower Mainland.
Room attendants, banquet servers, front desk staff and food service workers issued a strike notice about three weeks ago, and are now walking the picket line.
The workers, who belong to Unite Here local 40, say their wages can’t keep up with the cost of living in the Metro Vancouver, which they claim are below what’s considered a “living wage” of $24.08 per hour.
In a press release on Wednesday, the union said the majority of Sheraton Airport Hotel workers are immigrants and women, and, during the pandemic, struggled to make ends meet and often working more than one job.
In addition to higher wages, they’re asking for “banquet gratuity transparency” to make sure tips are correctly distributed.
The Sheraton Vancouver Airport is on Westminster Highway, just west of Minoru Boulevard.
In a vote in mid-May, the hotel staff voted 88 per cent in favour of strike action.
