OFL President to Join Toronto Plaza Hotel Workers in Boycott Rally

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 14, 2013) - Ontario Federation of Labour President Sid Ryan will join striking Toronto Plaza Hotel workers at Noon on Thursday, August 15 to announce support for a boycott of the hotel until a fair settlement is negotiated for workers.

"The conduct of this employer has been despicable. He is giving hotel owners a bad name by treating his employees with utter contempt," said Ryan. "Rehan Chaudary's hotel is staffed almost entirely by visible minority women who he has the gall to call 'animals' while he decimates their livelihoods. The only beastly behaviour here is a hotel owner who would drive his workers into poverty simply to enhance his profits."

The 40 workers at the Toronto Plaza Hotel were forced to go on strike on May 30, 2013, after employer and manager Rehan Chaudary tabled a laundry list of concessionary demands that would cut wages by as much as 28 percent and eliminate all benefits, including health coverage, dental care, vision, life insurance, accidental death and short term sick pay. Chaudary also sought to undermine the basic labour rights of his employees by blocking union representation in disciplinary meetings and denying union representatives access to the hotel.

OFL officers Nancy Hutchison and Irwin Nanda, along with OFL staff and representatives of affiliates will be joining the rally to demand a fair contract and an end to the employer's contemptuous treatment of his employees. The boycott is intended to increase pressure on Chaudary to return to the bargaining table with a fair offer.

"If Chaudary has disdain for to his workers, perhaps he will pay attention when their message reaches his clients, his suppliers and the public," said Ryan. "Good business is built on strong reputations and the Toronto Plaza Hotel can't afford more bad press."

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) represents 54 unions and one million workers in Ontario. For information, visit www.OFL.ca and follow the OFL on Facebook and Twitter: @OFLabour and follow OFL President Sid Ryan at @SidRyan_OFL.