BURNABY (NEWS 1130) – A protester was hit by a bus while picketing outside the Hilton Hotel in Metrotown on Saturday.
Employees at two hotels in Metro Vancouver have been on strike that some companies are using the pandemic as an excuse to lay off long-term workers – many of whom are minority women.
UNITE HERE Local 40 said the bus carrying Lufthansa airline workers hit the man around 4 p.m.
Kevin Malone, a union organizer, says the bus carried Lufthansa pilots and crew who had stayed at the hotel.
“When the bus with the Lufthansa crew left today, we protested along the street. As the bus moved forward, he passed over one of our ally’s feet and grabbed his foot under the bus, ”he explains.
BREAKING: Bus with Lufthansa strike breakers has just injured the demonstrator @hiltonvanmetro Pickets – more details to come @ GlobalBalBC @CTVVancouver @CBCVancouver @City_tv @ NEWS1130 @BurnabyNOW_News @CKNW @bbybeacon #bcpoli
– Unite Local 40 #BCUnequalWomen (@ UniteHere40) May 15, 2021
Malone said the protester’s foot was trapped for about a minute. The person was then taken to a hospital by paramedics.
Malone roamed for 29 days, saying the pickets had so far been peaceful and complied with all city regulations.
“It is unfortunate that a twenty-second delay for a hotel would lead a bus driver to try to drive through protesters,” he said.
Sussanne Skidmore of the BC Federation of Labor said no one should cross the picket line.
“It’s shameful, and nobody should Be crossing those Lines. W.e should Be respect Manpower. W.e should Be respect you Law to Picket line, and other Manpower should Not Be crossing those Picket line Lines, especially unionized Worker, ”she said.
On the subject of matching items:
In a statement on Friday, the association urged the public to boycott the Hilton Metrotown and Pacific Gateway Hotel and support workers who “fight against draconian layoffs and wage and performance setbacks.”
The association is affiliated with nearly 50 unions and over 500,000 workers across the province. It urges its members and the public not to cross the picket line or to do business with the hotels.
“It is shameful that these hotels are resorting to government COVID bailout money and wage subsidies while laying off or refusing to recall workers in an attempt to undermine decades of worker profits,” President Laird Cronk said in the statement.
“The British Columbia government has allocated more than $ 130 million to the hospitality industry, in addition to nearly $ 400 million in recovery grants for businesses that do not require workers to get their jobs back during recovery.”
#BREAKING: Labor movement boycotted, pulls millions of dollars’ worth of business from Hilton Metrotown and Pacific Gateway Hotels in support of workers.
???? Continue reading: https://t.co/NI8QgYW9KR#bclab #bcpoli #justrecovery #bcunequalwomen pic.twitter.com/sK7iQ02f5f
– Unite Local 40 #BCUnequalWomen (@ UniteHere40) May 15, 2021
UNITE HERE Local 40 recently launched a campaign to raise awareness of how women, especially racialized women, in the hospitality industry are disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
“This boycott sends a strong message that the public expects hotels to return their longstanding workforce to pre-pandemic jobs when work comes back. No one should lose their job and be replaced because of a temporary crisis, ”said union president Zailda Chan.
NEWS 1130 has asked Burnaby RCMP for a comment.
– With files from Lisa Steacy and Lasia Kretzel
