Montreal’s Queen Elizabeth Hotel reopens after temporarily closing during holidays due to labour dispute

The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal has reopened after temporarily closing due to an ongoing labour dispute.

Quebec’s largest hotel made the announcement on Dec. 12 and shut their doors days later on Dec. 21 during the holiday season, as they said they couldn’t provide their usual level of service to guests.

Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel where unionized workers strike in front of hotel on January 14, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)

Hotel management confirmed to CityNews that they were able to reopen on Jan. 3.

The hotel locked out its unionized workers in November after they rejected a contract proposal partly due to a disagreement over the use of staffing agencies.

“We remain in a lockout with limited services,” David Connor, general manager for Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, told CityNews in an e-mail on Monday. “We await additional dates for negotiation sessions.”

A spokesperson for the hotel’s 600 unionized workers said the strike continues and that they have no news regarding negotiations.

Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel unionized workers strike in front of hotel on January 14, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)

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The hotel previously noted that workers at more than 20 other Quebec hotels have accepted similar offers – which included a 21 per cent wage increase over four years, with 10 per cent being implemented in the first year.

A sign at Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel strike for Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel unionized workers on January 14, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)

Unionized employees have held several surprise strikes in recent months.

Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel unionized workers strike in front of hotel on January 14, 2025. (Martin Daigle, CityNews)

The union also accused the hotel of hiring replacement workers, after a report from the Labour Department found that hotel employees performed the tasks of unionized workers during a strike in September.

The Queen Elizabeth Hotel has 950 rooms. 

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