Best Western Plus employees in Windsor are on the picket line today in a push for fair wages.
Represented by Unifor Local 195, Tammy Smith, a chairperson for union members at the hotel, told CTV News workers walked off the job after talks broke down.
About a dozen picketers stood along the hotel front entrance on Riverside Drive with “On Strike” signs in hand.
“We don’t make high wages. Our housekeepers, for instance, are at $18 an hour. We’re trying to get to a living wage,” Smith said.
According to Smith, the employer’s counteroffer included concessions.
“We have to make our stand this time,” Smith said.
Farhi Holdings Corporation, the owner of the Best Western Plus, has not responded to a request for comment.
As of 10 a.m., guests at the hotel were not being impacted by the strike, Smith said.
Attempts to make reservations on the hotel’s website show there are “no rooms available” for the upcoming week.
“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 Unifor National President Lana Payne in a news release.
“Instead of seeking to improve working conditions, the employer has demanded concessions. Our members won’t stand for it.”
Unifor represents roughly 40 people in various services at the hotel.
Employees walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday. Unifor has called on the employer to return to the bargaining table with a serious offer that increases wages and withdraws concessions.
“Hotel workers should not be asked to accept less while the hospitality industry continues to recover and grow,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi. “This strike is about protecting decent work and dignity for every worker who makes this hotel run.”
-Reporting by CTV Windsor's Bailey Shakyaver and Robert Lothian