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June 29, 2020
Unifor, Canada’s largest union in the hospitality and gaming sector, announced its endorsement today of the Hotel Association of Canada’s Safe Stay program.
“Hospitality workers across the country have been hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden collapse of hotel business,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President. “The hotel industry, workers and their unions, along with all levels of government must work together to create safe re-opening conditions for guests and employees. Unifor is proud to endorse and support the Safe Stay program.”
The Safe Stay program is an industry-wide enhanced standard of health and safety protocols designed to prepare Canada's hotels to safely welcome back guests and employees as the Canadian economy reopens. It reinforces the sector’s ongoing commitment to the health and safety of guests and employees.
Nearly forty hotel ownership and management companies have endorsed the Safe Stay program in Canada, representing hundreds of hotels across the country from coast to coast to coast. The program includes enhanced cleaning protocols and the development of a property-specific Cleanliness Plan, specialized health and safety training for workers, extra signage in guest and employee areas, physical distancing protocols, regular well-being checks and appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
“We are happy to work in partnership with employers and make use of the health and safety expertise we’ve developed through our Joint Health & Safety Committees in our properties,” said James Griffin, a hotel chef and President of Unifor’s Hospitality & Gaming Council. “The Safe Stay program is an initiative we can really get behind and allows us to continue working together to keep our guests and colleagues safe as the economy gradually re-opens.”
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
