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• Golden Brand Factory Gives $3.5 Million in Severance to its 540 Workers June 30, 2008
  

  After many pressure tactics against Golden Brand, Moores stores and Men's Wearhouse, the Quebec Council of UNITE HERE union (Quebec Federation of Labour) and its members achieved a huge victory last Friday. The parties chose not to wait for an arbitrator's pending decision and concluded an agreement which amounted to $3.5 million in severance pay to the workers. "We are completely satisfied with this settlement. This is a historic settlement, especially for workers in the clothing industry," said Lina Aristeo, director of the Quebec Council and vice-president of the QFL.
  

  
  
  
• Appellate court orders Cintas to pay hundreds of northern California workers more than $1.18 million in unpaid wages and interest June 12, 2008
  The California Court of Appeal ordered the Cintas Corporation to pay more than $1.18 million in back wages and interest to hundreds of Northern California workers for violating the city of Hayward's Living Wage Ordinance. This historic judgment, affirming a September 2005 Alameda Superior Court ruling, is believed to be the largest living wage award in U.S. history.
  
  
• Watch the 58th Annual Sidney Hillman Foundation Journalism Awards May 23, 2008
  The 58th annual Sidney Hillman Foundation Journalism Awards were presented on May 27th to honor journalism that explores the issues of social and economic justice. Presenters and guests included actor Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, director Jonathan Demme, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and City Comptroller Bill Thompson. For the first time, a webcast of the awards show is available. Click here to watch.
  
  
  
• U.S. House of Representatives Holds Hearing on Need for Increased Workplace Safety Enforcement April 23, 2008
  Testimony Given By Emmanuel Torres, Son of Worker Killed at Cintas Plant; U.S. Representative “Appalled” at Cintas’ Lack of Responsibility
  
  The U.S. House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a hearing today on workplace safety seeking stronger OSHA enforcement for large, multi-site employers. Members of the subcommittee named Cintas as a prime example of the need for stronger OSHA enforcement. The hearing was prompted by the death last year of Eleazar Torres Gomez, a worker who was killed at a Cintas plant in Tulsa, OK after he was trapped inside an industrial-sized dryer. Emmanuel Torres, Mr. Torres Gomez’ son (pictured-- photo by Earl Dotter), testified at today’s hearing, stating that Cintas failed to do everything it was required to do to protect his father. At the hearing, citing internal company memos made public today, members of the committee strongly admonished Cintas’s top corporate leadership for failing to fix the lethal dangers it knew about that ultimately led to the death of Eleazar Torres Gomez.
  
  
• International Week of Action Highlights Concerns Over Aramark’s Bad Practices  April 14, 2008
  As part of an international week of action, workers took to the streets in Ireland, the UK and Belgium last week to inform the public of concerns about Aramark’s poor treatment of workers, communities and clients. Over the course of the week, workers in the three countries were joined by Jack Rushton, an Aramark employee in Philadelphia, who was, after 20 years of service, recently demoted by Aramark.
  
  
• Made in Canada "FASHION POLICE" Conducts Label Check on MPs April 14, 2008
  Garment workers on Parliament Hill ask MPs to save jobs in the Canadian apparel industry and show leadership by wearing suits made in Canada
  UNITE HERE Canada members came to Parliament Hill to conduct an MP Label Check. Workers and union representatives challenge MP's to "show us your label" as a test of whether Canada's political leaders are really committed to buying Canadian-made suits and jackets. At a special news conference, UNITE HERE asked all MPs to intervene to save jobs in the Canadian apparel industry.
  
  
• Workers Protest Men’s Wearhouse Announcement That It Will Close Its Canadian Factory March 17, 2008
  UNITE HERE launches North American Campaign Against Retail Giant to Save Hundreds of Apparel Jobs
  UNITE HERE announced last week that it will campaign across North America to save nearly 600 Canadian manufacturing jobs at a Montreal plant that Men’s Wearhouse announced it would close in July. Hundreds of workers, represented by Quebec Council of UNITE HERE, rallied at a press conference outside the Golden Brand Factory and vowed to fight the closure. Workers and activists reached out to customers in a dozen cities including New York, Toronto, LA, and Philadelphia.  Learn more and take action at www.ourjobsmatter.org.
  
  
• Hundreds of Wall Street Cafeteria Workers March on Aramark Owner Goldman Sachs March 5, 2008
  Low-Wage Workers Call on Goldman to Spread the Wealth to Cafeteria Workers
  Amid the bustle of the financial district, hundreds of cafeteria workers employed by Aramark at many of Wall Street’s largest investment banks rallied on March 5 and demanded that Ararmark owner and client Goldman Sachs take action to lift the city’s corporate cafeteria workers out of poverty.
  
  
• Statement on the Passing of Reverend James E. Orange February 20, 2008
  
  

  UNITE HERE mourns the loss of Rev. James E. Orange, a leader in the civil rights and labor movements and a fighter for working people.

  "James was the real connection between the labor and civil rights movements in the South," explains UNITE HERE General President Bruce Raynor. "He personally built the bridge between the two movements for progressive change in the Southern States from the 1960s through today. Person by person, meeting by meeting, march by march, thousands of current and former UNITE HERE members owe James a debt for helping organize workers, win fights and inspire us all."

  
  
  
• UNITE HERE Endorses Senator Barack Obama January 9, 2008
  The Executive Committee of UNITE HERE has voted to endorse Senator Barack Obama for President. On behalf of nearly one million members and retirees, the union announced that it will be supporting the campaign in primaries and caucuses throughout the nation.
  
  

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