by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 8:55 AM ET, Fri June 5, 2026
June 6, 2026 update: A last-minute agreement between the hotel and the union managed to avoid job action and picket lines outside the Fairmont Empress in Victoria. Workers will vote on the proposed contract on Monday, June 8, 2026.
Original story:
As British Columbia braces for a tourism influx surrounding World Cup, staff at the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel have served strike notice.
Unifor, the union that represents more than 600 staff in housekeeping, the front desk, maintenance, banquet events and other departments, issued a statement saying the notice was issued after the employer failed to address their calls for fair wages, mental health benefits, and protections for gratuity earners.
"Our members voted clearly for a mandate, and the employer responded with very little movement at the table," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "The time to bargain a resolution is right now."
Union members voted in April with 99 percent in favour of a strike mandate. The notice means picket lines could go up around the elegant waterfront hotel as soon as tomorrow, June 6, 2026.
"These workers show up every day to keep this prestige hotel running smoothly for guests," said Unifor Western Regional Director Gavin McGarrigle. "A strike on June 6 is avoidable, but only if the employer acts now."
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