Three Montreal hotels call a surprise 24-hour strike

Some 1,000 workers at three well-known Montreal hotels called a surprise 24-hour strike on Sunday.

The Queen Elizabeth, Marriott Château Champlain and Bonaventure hotels have been on strike simultaneously to improve their working conditions, the Conférence des syndicats nationaux (CSN), which represents them, said in a press release.

“We’re showing our incomprehension,” said Michel Valiquette, head of the hotel sector and treasurer of the CSN’s Fédération du commerce, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Workers at the three hotels are jointly demanding a 36 per cent wage increase over four years “to compensate for the loss of purchasing power due to inflation.” For example, 15 per cent in the first year, then seven per cent every year for the following three years.

“Hoteliers have made record profits in recent years, they’re even the ones saying so,” said Valiquette. “We are the main architects of that wealth, and all we want is for that wealth to be shared more equitably between hoteliers and workers.”

The strike began at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and at 12 p.m. at the Mariott Château Champlain and Bonaventure hotels.

The union members are demanding three weeks’ holiday in their first year of service, to attract new workers. They also want employers to contribute to the group insurance plan, and a better training framework for the next generation.

“The message we’re sending (to management) is to come and sit down at the bargaining table,” said Valiquette.

This strike is the third walkout in the eleventh round of coordinated bargaining for the CSN hotel industry. There are 30 hotels representing 3,500 employees participating in the negotiations.

15 of the 30 hotels have voted for a 120-hour strike mandate, which they can call at any time.

Last Saturday, the Queen Elizabeth Hotel and the Bonaventure Hotel each called a 24-hour strike.

Negotiations began in April.

Complaint against The Queen Elizabeth Hotel

Valiquette said that the Queen Elizabeth Hotel illegally employed scabs during last week’s strike.

“We are convinced that the employer used staff who were not entitled to work, and we have the evidence to prove it.”

The hotel’s union says it has filed a complaint with the Administrative Labour Tribunal.

“Instead of acting like outlaws, (management) would be better off going to the bargaining table and negotiating in good faith,” concluded Valiquette.

The Queen Elizabeth Hotel did not respond to a request for comment late Sunday afternoon.

The CSN will hold a press conference on Monday morning to provide an update on the state of negotiations.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews