Camp Workers at Red Chris Mine Vote in Favour of Strike Action

Kitimat, BC – Hospitality workers who serve workforce crews at Red Chris Mine have voted 92% in favour of strike action. The workers are represented by BC’s hospitality union, UNITE HERE Local 40.

Approximately 140 camp culinary, housekeeping and janitorial workers are employed by Spatsizi Remote Services, a joint venture with Sodexo. Workers have been in bargaining since June and are demanding better wages, travel pay, safe workloads, and improved benefits. Workers joined Local 40 this April over concerns about wages and working conditions.

“There are times when we’re expected to clean up to 50 or 60 rooms in a day. We aren’t robots. We need manageable workloads so that we don’t hurt ourselves and pay rates that are similar to what other Local 40 camp members have won,” said Darlene Hamblin, a housekeeper.

The mine is located in the “Golden Triangle” of Northwestern BC and owned by Newmont, one of the world’s largest gold mining companies.

UNITE HERE Local 40 represents approximately 1,000 camp hospitality workers and recently negotiated new contracts at Crossroads and Cedar Valley Lodge that continue to raise standards for workers in the sector.

Contact: Michelle Travis, [email protected], 778-960-9785