Contract Flip at YVR Airport Puts 90 Food Service Workers’ Jobs at Risk

The VDLC supports UNITE HERE Local 40, and the 90 YVR workers who are facing job losses due to contact flipping. We need successorship language to protect workers in all industries in the BC Labour Relations Code. 

The VDLC adopted the following motion at our March regular meeting:

Subject: YVR Worker Facing Job Losses

BECAUSE some ninety food service workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 40, may lose their employment as a result of contact flipping at YVR; and

BECAUSE about 40% of these workers have been employed in their jobs for over ten years, and many for as many as twenty; and

BECAUSE there is currently no guarantee that a worker will retain their employment when a contract changes hands; and

BECAUSE contract flipping is demonstrated to erode wages and working conditions and undermine job security; and

BECAUSE the provincial government is expected to bring legislation forward to address the problem of contact flipping, following a report issued last year, however there are concerns that the report looks only at cleaning services, security services and transportation services, but misses food services which is an area where contract flipping remains a persistent concern,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL express its support for the affected YVR workers and for UNITE HERE Local 40 and assist however possible in actions related to this issue; and

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL write to Minister of Labour Harry Bains calling for legislation to ensure successorship rights for workers in all industries.

You can read a news release on this issue from UNITE HERE Local 40 HERE.