Eleventh-hour deal averts strike at Empress Hotel in Victoria

A tentative agreement has been reached between workers and the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, averting a strike that was set to begin Saturday.

Trent Peek, president of Unifor Local 4276, said in an update to members that the bargaining committee negotiated past midnight and into the early hours of Saturday, “pushing to get the best deal possible.”

Peek said a ratification meeting will be held on Monday.

The tentative deal comes after workers in housekeeping, the front desk, maintenance, banquet events and other departments voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike.

Earlier in the week, the union said the employer failed to address their calls for fair wages, mental-health benefits and protections for gratuity earners.

ticrawford@postmedia.com