Coast Plaza & Suites negotiations Vancouver BC

A new collective agreement was ratified by a margin of 87% on March 18 by UNITE HERE Local 40 members working at the CoastPlaza & Suites in Vancouver. Wages were at the forefront of proposals coming from the union members, proposals that gave a very clear indication the direction the union negotiating committee was to take during their rounds of bargaining with the employer.“It was very obvious the members at Coast Plaza had given much thought to what their demands were going to be and the committee was ready and prepared when they sat down to bargain with their employer,”said Jim Bock, Local 40 Vice-President and Chief Spokesperson for this year’s Bargaining Committee.“Our members at this property were clear and direct with their proposals and the they were successful in negotiating a good deal that features significant wage increases across all classifications along with improvements to the benefit package,” said Bock. The previous agreement expired on December 31, 2005 and the new three year, two month agreement is retroactive to January 1, 2006. The agreement includes an instant wage increase effective the day the agreement was ratified. There are approximately 180 members working at this property in housekeeping, front desk, maintenance, the kitchen, restaurant, bar, doormen, and banquets. The agreement will expire on February 28, 2009.