Skip to content

Coast Hotel and workers reach tentative deal

Deal between hotel chain and union representing Nanaimo, Victoria workers reached early Friday
14802640_web1_181211-NBU-Coast-Bastion-IMGP0312
(News Bulletin file)

A tentative deal has been struck between the Coast Hotel chain and the union representing hotel workers in Nanaimo and Victoria.

According to Linda Hagen, Coast Hotels spokeswoman, and Octavian Cadabeschi, Unite Here Local 40 spokesman, an agreement proposal was reached at 3:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, and Cadabeschi said while it still needs to be ratified by its membership, the union is recommending deal approval.

“Our bargaining committee was quite happy with it and we’re going to go have a ratification vote sometime early next week and for the moment, there is no lockout or strike,” said Cadabeschi.

RELATED: Workers at Coast Bastion Hotel on 24-hour strike

RELATED: Coast Hotel issues lockout notice

Both the hotel and union said they couldn’t give details about the deal currently, but Hagen did say it is for a term of three years.

“We are absolutely delighted,” Hagen told the News Bulletin. “We certainly want to thank the Local 40 and their team. We were all working towards finding an agreement that was supportive to our ambassadors and sustainable for the company and sometimes that can take a bit of work. But we all stuck with it and we’re able to say today that it’s business as usual at our three hotels.”

The union went on a 24-hour strike last Saturday and on Tuesday, the hotel applied for lockout notice.

Emergency mediation, with B.C. arbitrator and mediator Ken Saunders, took place Wednesday and Thursday.

The union said it sought higher wages to match cost of living increases and voiced concerns about heavy workloads for housekeeping staff, while the hotel said it sought to ensure workers are able to make a good living and that the hotel and company remain profitable.

In addition to the workers at the Coast Bastion Hotel in Nanaimo, the deal also affects workers in Victoria and Prince George.



reporter@nanaimobulletin.com

Like us on Facebook and follow Karl on Twitter and Instagram