Nearly 40 Unifor members at the Best Western Plus in Windsor walked off the job early Saturday morning, launching strike action over wages and employer demands for concessions.
The strike, which began at 12:01 a.m. on June 1, involves workers in guest services, housekeeping, and maintenance. Unifor Local 195, which represents the employees, is calling for wage increases and the removal of proposed concessions that it says would erode working conditions.
“Unifor members at Best Western Plus deserve wages that reflect the value they bring to the hospitality sector and respect for the hard work they do every day,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president. “Instead of seeking to improve working conditions, the employer has demanded concessions. Our members won’t stand for it.”
Unifor is urging the employer to return to the bargaining table with a revised offer that addresses wage concerns and drops the proposed rollbacks.
With the hospitality sector rebounding, Unifor leaders say now is not the time to ask workers to accept less.
“Hotel workers should not be asked to accept less while the hospitality industry continues to recover and grow,” said Samia Hashi, Unifor’s Ontario regional director. “This strike is about protecting decent work and dignity for every worker who makes this hotel run.”
Unifor is Canada’s largest private-sector union, representing 320,000 workers across industries. Local 195 is the bargaining unit for the affected employees at the Windsor hotel.
