Dexterra Group ‘hopes to negotiate’ with striking Kobes Creek Lodge workers

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The parent company of Horizon North says it’s happy to return to the bargaining table with striking hospitality employees at one of its facilities.

Workers at Kobes Creek Lodge represented by Unite Here Local 40 issued a 72-hour strike notice to their employer on Friday, April 25th. 

“While we respect the rights of unionized employees to engage in lawful job action, we are disappointed that an agreement could not be reached through collective bargaining,” said Dexterra Group, Horizon North’s parent company, in a statement on April 30th.

“Our top priority remains the safety and wellbeing of all employees and guests on site. We have implemented contingency plans to ensure continued operations and to minimize disruption.”

On Monday, April 28th, the day the strike began, striking workers were allegedly locked out of their workplaces and bused to Fort St. John, which drew criticism from the union.

One worker described the situation as outrageous, saying her and her team were “[kicked] out and [left] by the side of the road like garbage.”

Dexterra Group now says it’s committed to negotiating in good faith, and is “available to return to the bargaining table” with the union at any time.

“We are hopeful that the parties can come together to resolve the outstanding issues and return to normal operations as soon as possible,” the company’s statement reads. “For privacy and operational reasons, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

Kobes Creek Lodge, located west of Fort St. John, is a temporary living facility for workers in industries like mining.