NOVEMBER  28, 2025

Imperial Workers began speaking with Union organizers in February 2025. In November Worker1 became an active, open Union supporter. In the weeks prior, he raised issues with management about the unreasonable workloads. He explained the benefits of joining the Union and SEIU’s Justice for Janitors movement to the other Imperial employees at Alderney Gate. In his discussions with other employees, Worker1attributed a September wage increase they had received to an Application for Judicial Review by SEIU and related advocacy. Alderney Gate and The Woodside Ferry Terminals are both city-owned sites subject to a living wage of $28.30, however Imperial had been paying most Workers well below that rate.

By late November, Worker1 and his cousin, Worker2, were known by most, if not all Imperial employees at Alderney Gate, to be Union supporters. Then, on November 27, an Imperial manager terminated Worker1’s employment in the morning via text message. Later that afternoon, and shortly after he arrived for work, Imperial terminated Worker2’s employment as well.

Four days after he had reported for his shift and three after the Union filed the first legal complaint, Worker2 was told he could come back to work and that his termination had been a “misunderstanding” despite Imperial management asking another Worker to fill his shifts on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. 

Worker1 remains terminated and a chilling effect has taken hold of the workplace. 

The Alderney Gate employees are particularly vulnerable due to their immigration status and working in a precarious industry. There is a Union certification vote scheduled for Thursday December 4, but according to the complaint, the terminations and retaliation have had a chilling effect on other employees’ willingness to exercise their rights under the Act.