SEIU Local 2: Low-wage cleaners at luxurious Château Laurier in Ottawa could be on strike soon

Workers say they are facing harassment and intimidation from cleaning contractor as they fight for basic improvements

OTTAWA, Ontario, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Janitors at Château Laurier working for cleaning contractor ServeGreen Cleaning Services unanimously voted in favour of strike action on the weekend.

The overnight shift workers are members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 2 and have been attempting to bargain a new collective agreement without much progress. They clean the common areas of the downtown luxury Ottawa hotel and many of them hold a second job to make ends meet.

In additional to fair pay, the workers are seeking additional paid sick time and paid meal breaks. While the cleaners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, ServeGreen has offered workers a $0.25 per hour wage increase in negotiations. ServeGreen’s proposal is completely out touch with the stark realities working families face. Earlier this year, cleaners in Toronto, Vancouver and the Halifax Regional Municipality all negotiated a minimum average of $1 per hour increase in each year of their respective agreements. Other janitors in Ottawa currently negotiating a city-wide contract and are looking at similar increases.

The cleaners allege ServeGreen has turned the workplace into a poisoned environment due to management intimidation.

“It’s not acceptable that workers have faced harassment and intimidation from ServeGreen managers simply for speaking up,” said Daniel Charlebois, a member of the Union’s executive board and a fellow cleaner in Ottawa. “The pressure is on Château Laurier to put a stop to this – it’s happening on their watch.”

In recent days SEIU Local 2 has filed nearly a dozen grievances against the cleaning company. They allege vexatious behaviour from management, intimidation and reprisal toward members lawfully engaging in their union, a pattern of denying paid sick time, inadequate supply of clean uniforms, equipment disrepair, failure to provide personal protective equipment when dealing with pests, and failure to follow job posting and seniority rights.

This is not the first time ServeGreen at Château Laurier as come under fire. In October 2022, when ServeGreen first took over the cleaning contract at the luxury hotel, public rallies for workers rights were held when the hotel failed to intervene and ensure the rights of workers on their property were respected.

“This is also a fight for dignity and respect” said Charlebois. “Their work is integral to the hotel’s operations and success.”

SEIU Local 2 represents 20,000 workers in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Alberta, New Brunswick, and Manitoba. We are proud members of the largest, fastest growing and most dynamic union in North America.

Media Contact:
Sharoni Mitra
613-698-2851
smitra@seiulocal2.ca

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.