Background
Unifor Local 195 members who work at the Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel in Windsor, Ontario are on strike.
Housekeepers, laundry staff, front desk workers, maintenance—we’re the backbone of the Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel. We clean, serve, and support guests every day. All we’re asking for is a fair wage and decent working conditions.
Wages are not keeping up
Wages at the hotel have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. Workers with decades of service, including some with 30 and 40 years of dedication, are earning just cents above minimum wage.
A greedy owner is demanding concessions
They want to eliminate overtime pay. After working six or seven days straight, they want to pay regular wages instead of overtime.
We work hard. We deserve better.
Who is behind this?
The hotel is owned by Shmuel Farhi, a wealthy hotel owner and
developer behind Farhi Holdings Corporation.
He owns multiple hotels across Southwestern Ontario, including:
- Best Western Plus Waterfront Hotel – Windsor
- DoubleTree by Hilton – Windsor
- Holiday Inn Express – Windsor
- Idlewyld Inn & Spa – London
- Elm Hurst Inn & Spa – Ingersoll
Farhi’s real estate empire is reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He can easily afford to do right by workers. But instead, he’s demanding rollbacks.
We’re not backing down.
What you can do
- Honk when you drive by the picket line
- Speak out on social media
- Tell hotel management you support the workers
- Cancel your reservation and take your business elsewhere until the strike ends
We’re ready to negotiate
It’s time for the employer to show respect and come to the table. Call on Best Western Plus and Farhi Holdings to return to the table with a fair deal.
When hotel workers win, the whole community wins.
