Banquets and Convention Services workers at the Seaport Hotel in Boston secured a union contract early this year, winning affordable healthcare and fair raises. It was a long, three-year fight from going public with their union drive to reaching an agreement, but workers are thrilled that they are now on par with the citywide hotel union standard.
Food service workers employed by Aramark at Loyola University Chicago are fighting for a fair contract with decent wages and a stronger pension so they can retire with dignity. Joined by students and community members, workers held informational picket lines earlier this month.
Local 49 workers at Sky River Casino held a picket demanding the casino honor its agreement and recognize their union. Casino ownership promised in 2017 to recognize the union if a majority of workers signed cards. Workers delivered that majority in 2023, but the casino has still refused to follow through, even after two arbitrators and a federal judge upheld the agreement.
Workers have also highlighted how far their pay falls behind union standards at other Northern California casinos, with some reporting they earn several dollars less per hour for similar work. They are calling on the casino to respect the workers’ decision and come to the table for a fair contract.
Workers at Eastern Point Collective, which runs The Duck and The Peach, La Collina, and The Wells, are moving forward with a union election, scheduled for March 6th.
In December, a supermajority of workers presented management with a petition for a fair process to unionize, but management refused. Recently, the employer fired two union leaders. Workers will continue picketing to let the public know there’s no union contract and talking to customers with Scabby in the lead-up to the election.
Hundreds of dining hall workers employed by Aramark at Arizona State University walked out on strike on February 18, escalating their fight for a fair contract, safe staffing levels, and respect on the job. Workers say chronic understaffing and high turnover have pushed them to a breaking point, and wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living in the Phoenix area.
ASU dining workers include cooks, cashiers, dishwashers, baristas, and food service staff who keep dining halls running for thousands of students across multiple campuses. After months of negotiations and an overwhelming strike authorization vote, workers say they are prepared to stay on the line until Aramark agrees to a contract that addresses their core concerns.
On Thursday, February 13, Local 5 members at Hale Nani Rehab & Nursing Center reached a tentative agreement with management, averting an open-ended strike that was set to begin on February 23. In the tentative agreement, Hale Nani workers won back the hours and staffing management cut last year, affordable family healthcare, and significant wage increases.
“We fought hard to reach this tentative agreement and win a contract that provides the staffing we need to take care of our patients, along with the wages and healthcare we need to take care of our families today and tomorrow,” said Gilda Ellazar, Certified Nursing Assistant at Hale Nani. “From rallies outside of the facility to preparing to walk out on strike, our actions and determination paid off.”
Nearly 400 Culinary and Bartenders Union members working for DBE operators at Harry Reid International Airport are continuing their push for a new union contract. Workers including cooks, bartenders, servers, fast food workers, and porters; are calling for meaningful raises and strong protections for their health care benefits after going years without wage increases.
Workers say they are organized and ready to strike if needed.
In January, Local 355 members and faith leaders gathered at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport for a candlelight vigil urging the Trump Administration to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants
In a statement, the local said in part: “By ending TPS, the administration is choosing to strip legal rights from the very people who makes South Florida run. These are our coworkers, our shop stewards, and our friends.”
On February 2, a federal judge in Washington, D.C. issued an order temporarily blocking the administration’s decision. This means that for now, nearly 350,000 Haitians are able to stay in the U.S. legally.
In January, Local 17 members joined thousands of others in a protest at MSP Airport to stand against ICE in Minneapolis. Nearly 100 clergy put their bodies on the line in an act of civil disobedience, praying for our members who have been detained and holding their names and faces high.
Local 17 has continued to meet the moment powerfully through ongoing protest, organizing, and massive relief efforts to support hospitality workers afraid to leave their homes.
Union workers at the Seattle Convention Center handed out leaflets in January, raising concerns about wages that have not kept up with Seattle’s rising cost of living. Workers also say management is proposing medical plans that would increase out-of-pocket costs for some employees.
Workers are calling for a contract that reflects the real cost of living in Seattle and protects the benefits they rely on.
UNITE HERE represents workers throughout the United States and Canada.