By Surbhi Gogia
An event intended to salute women working in tourism and hospitality industry resulted in igniting outrage amongst women and hospitality industry due to the sexist remarks made by Fairmont Hotsprings CEO Vivek Sharma at 2022 BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference.
According to media reports, Sharma was at BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference, when he asked the women in the room to stand in honour of International Women’s Dayand then told them to “go clean some rooms and do some dishes.”
B.C. hotel housekeepers from Hilton Metrotown, Pan Pacific Vancouver, and Pacific Gateway, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, have now invited Sharma to meet the province’s Unequal Women and clean rooms for a day, in response to his sexist comments.
Stephanie Fung, communications officer of the group said that Sharma’s remarks point to larger systemic problem of attitude towards women in the hospitality industry. She said women by and large and women of color who had been working for decades were the first group to be targeted when the industry started laying off the employees. She said, “cleaning rooms is not a joke.” For that reason, women workers are inviting him to clean the rooms and experience how hard the job is and how they respect their jobs since it pays for their living.
“I’m extremely offended,” said locked out Hilton Metrotown housekeeper Cecilia Rutter who served the hotel for 21 years. “It’s clear Mr. Sharma doesn’t realize that women are the backbone of B.C.’s tourism and hospitality industry.Does he think our hard work and our many years of service to guests is a joke? Does he think we’re unequal to him? As a single mom, my housekeeping job helped me raise my son and I’m proud to be fighting on the picket line now for a better future for my co-workers and all women who work in hospitality.”
“On behalf of B.C.’s Unequal Women who were terminated by hotel employers in the pandemic and women hotel workers who face precarity back on the job, we invite Mr. Sharma to meet us and learn how he can make the industry a ‘safer place’ for women and other underrepresented groups,” said Naden Abenes, a housekeeper at Hyatt Regency Vancouver who ran in last year’s federal election as the NDP candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
The outrage started when one of the executive Trina Notman, VP Marketing & Communications Accent Inns/Hotel Zed, who was in the audience, took to LinkedIn to share the incident and called Sharma out for his “harmful” comment. “I am at the BC Tourism and Hospitality Conference and the man at the podium told all the businesswomen in the room to stand for International Women’s Day to celebrate us, then he TOLD US ALL TO GO CLEAN ROOMS and DO DISHES. His attempt to make light of it later was even worse, making us the butt of his joke again and not an apology. He claimed it was to show politicians in the room the staffing crisis. So he insulted and disrespected us all because he wants a policy change? His comments were harmful to all women.”
Many hospitality groups and Women supporting groups including Fairmont Hot Springs Resort issued strong statements expressing concern and criticizing Sharma’s remarks.
The Fairmont Hot Springs Resort said the comments made by the CEO were“inappropriate” and a third-party consulting firm has been hired to conduct an independent review into the matter. “The employee (Vivek Sharma) has been placed on immediate leave.”
The Tourism Industry Association of B.C. (TIABC) was also quick to release an apology.
“During a tribute to the incredible women of our industry at the opening of the 2022 B.C. Tourism and Hospitality Conference, an insensitive and hurtful comment was made that was completely inappropriate and deeply upsetting to all women, and indeed, all delegates of the event,” their statement read.
“What was originally intended as a salute and acknowledgement of the tremendous contribution, talent, skill and professionalism of our female tourism and hospitality colleagues, instead, resulted in a stark reminder of how far we have to go to achieve equality, respect, and empowerment for the women of our sector.
“We sincerely apologize for the harm this disparaging remark caused,” the statement said.
Although days later, Sharma released his own statement via the BCHA.
“I am very sorry and deeply regret the insensitive and inappropriate comments I made at the start of last week’s BC Tourism & Hospitality Conference. Not only did my words cause distress for several women in the audience but I also offended many other delegates.
My unacceptable remarks did not set the intended tone for the conference and consequently placed TIABC and BCHA’s board and staff in a very difficult position. I am also mindful that what I said does not reflect the views of either TIABC or BCHA, both of whom have worked hard to advocate for the tenets of equality, inclusion, and diversity in our sector. I’ve spent many years working alongside these reputable organizations to help our industry grow and flourish. As a result of my recent conduct, I have let down valued colleagues who love and care about me.”
He said, “I have chosen to step down from the boards of both TIABC and BCHA effective immediately.”
Although Sharma has resigned, his comments have triggered an important debate and will encourage women to come forward and share their stories.
