Media Advisory: From the Royal York to the Rogers Centre, hotel workers march for good jobs

UNITE HERE members from hotels across North America kick off next round of continent-wide contract negotiations, beginning in Toronto


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 22, 2017) - Hundreds of hotel and hospitality workers will kick off contract negotiations at a rally in front of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel this Thursday, followed by a march down Front Street to the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel, where newly-unionized members are fighting for a first contract. The hotel workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 75, are busy preparing for their next round of contract negotiations, which will affect more than forty properties across the GTA.

The hotel workers will be joined by fellow UNITE HERE union members from several other North American cities, who will share messages of solidarity and support as they enter into contract negotiations of their own. A decade ago, UNITE HERE launched Hotel Workers Rising, a continent-wide campaign to empower and improve the lives of hotel workers. Since then, tens of thousands of hotel workers have won improved wages and benefits, job security, and workload protections.

The march will end at the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel in the Rogers Centre, where workers voted to join the union last year. Since then, they have been fighting for a first contract, refusing to settle for anything less than the same standard contract agreed to by dozens of other hotels across the city.

What: Joined by hotel workers from several other North American cities, hundreds of hotel and hospitality workers and their supporters (with signs, banners, music, chanting and noise-makers) will hold a short rally in front of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, then march down Front Street to the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel in the Rogers Centre.
When: Thursday, June 22nd at 4:30pm
Where: Rally in front of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel (100 Front Street West), followed by a march to the Renaissance Hotel Toronto Downtown (Rogers Centre, 1 Blue Jays Way)

Contact Information:

Marc Hollin
647-408-5428
mhollin@unitehere.org