Press Release

For Immediate Release

6/9/2010

Global Hotel Corps Reap Gains, Vancouver’s Hotel Workers Left Behind

Rally at Hyatt Regency, street theatre, then march to Renaissance Hotel 

Burnaby, B.C. - Hundreds of Vancouver hotel workers will lead a noisy protest outside the Hyatt Regency today to demand that healthy global hotel companies stop squeezing hotel workers. Vancouver’s hotel workers will be protesting simultaneously with thousands of hotel workers in other North American cities, including Toronto, San Francisco, Honolulu, Los Angeles and Chicago, on the day that Hyatt will hold its first shareholder meeting since going public last fall, raising $950 million for its owners. Workers will be joined by elected leaders from the city and the province, community groups and immigrants’ rights groups.

Hyatt and other global hotel corporations such as Starwood (operator of the Westin Bayshore), Marriott (owner of the Renaissance) and the Four Seasons have put the downturn behind them and are seeing significantly improved revenues. Industry analysts say the industry is rebounding faster and stronger than expected and predict that the hotel sector is set for several years of strong growth. These companies are also benefiting from downtown Vancouver’s stronger hotel market and the very successful Olympic Games. PKF Consulting projects Vancouver’s hotel market will grow by 13% in 2010 alone. Yet, Vancouver hotel workers at Hyatt, the Westin Bayshore, Renaissance and the Four Seasons are facing chronic understaffing, heavier workloads for those on the job - only increasing their risk of injury - and seeing the implementation of programs that eliminate housekeeping jobs.

Hotel companies appear to want to lock in more precarious standards for workers, even as the industry improves. “Hyatt has made big profits in recent months, but it seems like they don’t want us to move forward with them. They are cutting hours in almost all our departments, leaving us understaffed. This means we end up doing the jobs of two or more people,” said Ding Ramos, a Hyatt worker for 14 years. Approximately 1,400 hotel workers will kick off bargaining this month with Hyatt, Westin Bayshore, Renaissance and the Four Seasons. Vancouver’s hotel workers, many immigrants, most long-term, and largely female, have fought to win decent standards in their hotels. However, they anticipate these companies will try to impose the same kind of recessionary contracts they are trying to lock workers into in other North American cities. As workers head into bargaining, they are demanding that Vancouver’s hotel workers share in the hotel industry’s recovery.

Visual: Hotel workers will receive a visit from Mr. Hyatt and other big-wig executives who will share some common sense advice with workers about coping with the downturn at today’s demonstration.

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