Workers at the Bonaventure Hotel launched a surprise 24-hour strike Saturday afternoon to advance their negotiations with their employer, who they are demanding improve their working conditions and wages.
The approximately 200 workers at the Bonaventure Hotel are thus exercising the first phase of the 120-hour strike mandate available to them.
The Bonaventure-CSN workers’ union deplores the fact that negotiations with their employer are progressing too slowly. “We need to find solutions to reduce the workload. We need to get good salary increases to cope with inflation. We have several solutions to propose to attract and retain staff at the hotel. The employer still has to listen to us!” said Donald Agostinho, vice-president of the Bonaventure-CSN workers’ union.
This is the second walkout to take place as part of the 11e coordinated round of negotiations of the CSN hotel industry, which this year brings together 30 Quebec hotels. Workers at the Queen Elizabeth hotel also launched a 24-hour strike at the beginning of the week.
Among the seven common demands of the coordinated negotiation are a 36% increase in salaries, an increase in the employer’s contribution to the group insurance plan, and more brakes to avoid overloading staff.