/wp-content/uploads/local75.png00djanvier/wp-content/uploads/local75.pngdjanvier2025-06-03 18:09:382025-06-03 18:10:59Letter to One King West Members from Shelli Sareen, Secretary-Treasurer, UNITE HERE Local 75 & Chief Negotiator
UNITE HERE Local 75 members at the Fairmont Royal York have not had a wage increase since 2021, demand raises to keep ahead of skyrocketing costs
TORONTO, Friday November 15, 2024 – Last night, more than 300 workers rallied at the Fairmont Royal York, calling on the hotel to agree to significant raises ahead of Taylor Swift’s six-night residency at the Rogers Center. While hotel companies in Toronto are charging fans upwards of $2000 a night for a room, workers who will serve the influx of Swift fans in Toronto hotels are bargaining for raises that keep ahead of the exploding cost of living.
Workers at the Fairmont have not seen raises since November 2021, and workers at the Toronto Marriott City Centre and other hotels are gearing up for their next round of negotiations.
“We’re excited to welcome Taylor Swift’s fans to our hotel. I’m a fan, myself,” says Grace Guanzon a Room Attendant who has served the Fairmont hotel for 30 years. “But we’re living on 2021 wages in 2024. Everything is more expensive – food, rent, transportation. It’s upsetting to see hotels profit at the expense of music fans and their workers.”
Royal York workers have fallen behind the standard UNITE HERE achieved at other hotels across the GTA. The Union has been negotiating a new contract with the hotel since April 2022. The local represents over 8,000 hospitality workers in the region.
“At the end of the day, this is about respect,” says Shelli Sareen, Secretary Treasurer of UNITE HERE! Local 75, “Fairmont knows our members deserve a strong contract. Our members provide 5-star service, they deserve a 5-star contract with wages that reflect their hard work they put into the hotel day after day.”
Sareen added “We’re looking forward to welcoming Ms. Swift’s fans to our city and we expect to serve thousands more in our hotels. We want fans to know that while they’re spending so much money here, hotel workers are not getting their fair share.”
/wp-content/uploads/local75.png00djanvier/wp-content/uploads/local75.pngdjanvier2024-11-15 18:29:462025-04-10 17:22:32As Toronto Hotels Gouge Swifties, Workers Demand Raises ahead of Taylor Swift Residency
On Thursday, November 14, we rallied on front of the Fairmont Royal York to tell the company that “we are tired of living on 2021 wages in 2024!” Our members message got picked up by Canadian Press, Now Toronto, and spread like wildfire! In order to make it easier for our members to find coverage for our action, we’ve posted links below to the various outlets that covered our story.
“The sound of chants, whistles and drum beats filled the air outside a downtown Toronto hotel Thursday night as a crowd of hospitality workers gathered to demand salary increases amid skyrocketing accommodation costs during Taylor Swift’s concerts in the city.”
/wp-content/uploads/local75.png00djanvier/wp-content/uploads/local75.pngdjanvier2024-11-15 15:38:082024-11-15 21:44:50UNITE HERE IN THE NEWS – Royal York workers rally for fair wages on first night of Taylor Swift performances
Workers from UNITE HERE Local 75 are calling on Hotels to Raise Standards, Wages.
Toronto – to commemorate International Workers Day on May 1st, also known as May Day, over 300 UNITE HERE Local 75 members who work at hotels across the Greater Toronto Area are picketing outside the Hampton Inn and Suites in Mississauga, near the Toronto Pearson Airport, starting at 4 PM. Picketing workers are demanding higher wages, respect, and job security that can help them support their families and themselves.
“When we were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, hotel workers across the country suffered the most,” said Guled Warsame, UNITE HERE Local 75 President and Canadian Director. “Since then, hotels across Canada, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area have not only recovered but are making record profits. That has yet to be reflected in our members’ salaries and work conditions. This must change, and our members are fighting for the living wages they deserve. We are not backing down until we win our fair share!”
Hotels like the Hampton Inn and Suites continue to receive significant funding from government contracts that fill their rooms. And yet, they lay off more staff.
Workers from the Hampton Inn and Suites, as well as from numerous other properties, family members, and allies will picket, chant, and share stories about their struggles to keep up with the rising cost of living without that being reflected in their wages, hours of work, or work conditions.
“Rent and grocery bills are getting more expensive! We are fighting to make sure we don’t fall behind. We know that the number of guests checking in at our hotel has recovered very well since the Pandemic,” said Winsome Hall, UNITE HERE Local 75 member, and Room Attendant at the Hampton Inn. “It is about time that this recovery is reflected in our wages, proper scheduling, and working conditions.”
GTA Workers are joining thousands of hotel workers across Canada and the U.S as they prepare for contract negotiations and possible widespread labour disputes at major hotel brands. Across the Toronto area, more than 30 hotels, covering over 6,000 workers, are set to expire in the coming few months, including at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, the Hilton Toronto Airport, the Toronto Marriott City Centre, and more.
Since the onset of the pandemic, many hotels throughout North America have scaled back services and staffing, while the hotel industry’s Gross Operating Profit per available room in Canada for the first nine months of 2023 was 20.7% higher than the same period in 2019. Hotel room rates have reached record highs as these service cuts linger.
Hotel workers in Toronto are calling for the hotel industry to “Respect Our Work” and “Respect Our Guests” by raising wages and reversing cuts both in hours and in staffing, which have led to painful working conditions. Nationally, hotel workers report heavy workloads, loss of hours, and jobs that aren’t enough to afford the cost of living.
About UNITE HERE Local 75
UNITE HERE is the strongest hospitality union in North America, with more than 300,000 members in the USA and Canada working in the hotels, food service, and gaming sectors. UNITE HERE Local 75 represents nearly 8,000 hospitality workers in the Greater Toronto Area.
Media Contact: Mahmoud (Moody) Shabeeb, [email protected], 647-674-2456
https://www.uniteherelocal75.org/wp-content/uploads/Hampton-Inn-release-web-scaled.jpg19892560djanvier/wp-content/uploads/local75.pngdjanvier2024-04-29 11:41:082024-04-29 12:10:28On International Workers Day, Hundreds of Toronto Area Hotel Workers will Picket for a Fair Contract
Letter to One King West Members from Shelli Sareen, Secretary-Treasurer, UNITE HERE Local 75 & Chief Negotiator
2025-2029 Collective Bargaining Documents
Memorandum of Settlement
Memorandum of Settlement 12.6.2024Term, Wages and Signing Bonus
Term, Wages and Signing BonusAmendments to the Existing Collective Agreement
Amendments to the Existing Collective AgreementAs Toronto Hotels Gouge Swifties, Workers Demand Raises ahead of Taylor Swift Residency
UNITE HERE Local 75 members at the Fairmont Royal York have not had a wage increase since 2021, demand raises to keep ahead of skyrocketing costs
TORONTO, Friday November 15, 2024 – Last night, more than 300 workers rallied at the Fairmont Royal York, calling on the hotel to agree to significant raises ahead of Taylor Swift’s six-night residency at the Rogers Center. While hotel companies in Toronto are charging fans upwards of $2000 a night for a room, workers who will serve the influx of Swift fans in Toronto hotels are bargaining for raises that keep ahead of the exploding cost of living.
Workers at the Fairmont have not seen raises since November 2021, and workers at the Toronto Marriott City Centre and other hotels are gearing up for their next round of negotiations.
“We’re excited to welcome Taylor Swift’s fans to our hotel. I’m a fan, myself,” says Grace Guanzon a Room Attendant who has served the Fairmont hotel for 30 years. “But we’re living on 2021 wages in 2024. Everything is more expensive – food, rent, transportation. It’s upsetting to see hotels profit at the expense of music fans and their workers.”
Royal York workers have fallen behind the standard UNITE HERE achieved at other hotels across the GTA. The Union has been negotiating a new contract with the hotel since April 2022. The local represents over 8,000 hospitality workers in the region.
“At the end of the day, this is about respect,” says Shelli Sareen, Secretary Treasurer of UNITE HERE! Local 75, “Fairmont knows our members deserve a strong contract. Our members provide 5-star service, they deserve a 5-star contract with wages that reflect their hard work they put into the hotel day after day.”
Sareen added “We’re looking forward to welcoming Ms. Swift’s fans to our city and we expect to serve thousands more in our hotels. We want fans to know that while they’re spending so much money here, hotel workers are not getting their fair share.”
UNITE HERE IN THE NEWS – Royal York workers rally for fair wages on first night of Taylor Swift performances
On Thursday, November 14, we rallied on front of the Fairmont Royal York to tell the company that “we are tired of living on 2021 wages in 2024!” Our members message got picked up by Canadian Press, Now Toronto, and spread like wildfire! In order to make it easier for our members to find coverage for our action, we’ve posted links below to the various outlets that covered our story.
Canadian Press – Hospitality workers rally on wages as hotel costs soar for Swift tour
“The sound of chants, whistles and drum beats filled the air outside a downtown Toronto hotel Thursday night as a crowd of hospitality workers gathered to demand salary increases amid skyrocketing accommodation costs during Taylor Swift’s concerts in the city.”
Canadian Press – Watch interview with Royal York worker Grace Guanzon and L75 Secretary Treasurer Shelli Sareen here
Radio Canada – read French article here
Y a pas deux matins pareil Radio Canada – listen to French interview here
Now Toronto – video via Twitter
Now Toronto – video via TikTok
Now Toronto – read article here
National Post – watch video here
National Post – Workers from Fairmont Royal York rally in Toronto as fans flood downtown for Taylor Swift
CP24 – watch video on Youtube
Globe & Mail – read article here
CBC – read article here
BNN Bloomberg – read article here
Global News – read article here
Global News – Everything You Need to Know As Taylor Swift Arrives In Toronto
Toronto Star – Live Updates from Taylor Swift Eras Tour
On International Workers Day, Hundreds of Toronto Area Hotel Workers will Picket for a Fair Contract
Workers from UNITE HERE Local 75 are calling on Hotels to Raise Standards, Wages.
Toronto – to commemorate International Workers Day on May 1st, also known as May Day, over 300 UNITE HERE Local 75 members who work at hotels across the Greater Toronto Area are picketing outside the Hampton Inn and Suites in Mississauga, near the Toronto Pearson Airport, starting at 4 PM. Picketing workers are demanding higher wages, respect, and job security that can help them support their families and themselves.
“When we were hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, hotel workers across the country suffered the most,” said Guled Warsame, UNITE HERE Local 75 President and Canadian Director. “Since then, hotels across Canada, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area have not only recovered but are making record profits. That has yet to be reflected in our members’ salaries and work conditions. This must change, and our members are fighting for the living wages they deserve. We are not backing down until we win our fair share!”
Hotels like the Hampton Inn and Suites continue to receive significant funding from government contracts that fill their rooms. And yet, they lay off more staff.
Workers from the Hampton Inn and Suites, as well as from numerous other properties, family members, and allies will picket, chant, and share stories about their struggles to keep up with the rising cost of living without that being reflected in their wages, hours of work, or work conditions.
“Rent and grocery bills are getting more expensive! We are fighting to make sure we don’t fall behind. We know that the number of guests checking in at our hotel has recovered very well since the Pandemic,” said Winsome Hall, UNITE HERE Local 75 member, and Room Attendant at the Hampton Inn. “It is about time that this recovery is reflected in our wages, proper scheduling, and working conditions.”
GTA Workers are joining thousands of hotel workers across Canada and the U.S as they prepare for contract negotiations and possible widespread labour disputes at major hotel brands. Across the Toronto area, more than 30 hotels, covering over 6,000 workers, are set to expire in the coming few months, including at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, the Hilton Toronto Airport, the Toronto Marriott City Centre, and more.
Since the onset of the pandemic, many hotels throughout North America have scaled back services and staffing, while the hotel industry’s Gross Operating Profit per available room in Canada for the first nine months of 2023 was 20.7% higher than the same period in 2019. Hotel room rates have reached record highs as these service cuts linger.
Hotel workers in Toronto are calling for the hotel industry to “Respect Our Work” and “Respect Our Guests” by raising wages and reversing cuts both in hours and in staffing, which have led to painful working conditions. Nationally, hotel workers report heavy workloads, loss of hours, and jobs that aren’t enough to afford the cost of living.
About UNITE HERE Local 75
UNITE HERE is the strongest hospitality union in North America, with more than 300,000 members in the USA and Canada working in the hotels, food service, and gaming sectors. UNITE HERE Local 75 represents nearly 8,000 hospitality workers in the Greater Toronto Area.
Media Contact: Mahmoud (Moody) Shabeeb, [email protected], 647-674-2456