On December 12, 2013, UNITE HERE Local 40 members who work in 47 hotels, pubs and liquor stores in British Columbia ratified their new collective agreement with 93% voting in favor.

Workers led the fight for nearly 18 months to reach a new contract with their employers. The gains in this contract were achieved as a result of the hard work led by the Union Bargaining Committee and through public actions in dozens of location.

The new contract addresses major concerns raised by workers and sets new standards for hospitality workers throughout the province. The new contract lowers eligibility for medical benefits to 20 hours/week which makes it easier for workers to maintain medical benefits through the slower, off-season months. The contract also provides for a prescription drug card and expands benefits for hospitality workers and their families. Workers will also receive good wage increases and improvements in their pensions.

As part of this contract fight, Sheraton Vancouver Airport workers held a 1-day strike. This was the first hotel strike in Metro Vancouver in a dozen years. Workers led other coordinated actions in their workplaces throughout BC. Together, they have raised standards for hospitality workers in BC.

Workers also received key support from customers, labour unions, elected officials, and community members during this contract campaign.

In recent weeks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased unprovoked I-9 audits in California, prompting UNITE HERE and allies to take action. On December 19, UNITE HERE Local 2 joined the San Francisco Labor Council, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and other allies to present a local resolution, urging President Obama to take action and protect the families of undocumented immigrants. The San Francisco resolution itself was modeled after one just passed by the Los Angeles City Council on December 18 and introduced by Councilmember Gil Cedillo, who Local 11 members worked to elect into office.

The actions these resolutions demand are outlined in an open letter to President Obama from progressive members of Congress. The three key provisions of the open letter demand that the Obama Administration stop family separation resulting from immigration deportation; extend Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to the parents of young people who have received DACA and to those who would be eligible for legal status under the Senate immigration bill; and end ineffective employer sanctions, I-9 audits, and the use of E-Verify, which only have led to firing of undocumented workers.

President Obama has the authority to act on all of these demands through an executive order, much like the one he already used to stay deportations for DREAMers and, just recently, families of undocumented immigrants serving in the military. Recent figures released by ICE point to an average of 1,000 deportations per day in 2013; the total number of deportations during the Obama administration is nearing 2 million.

Workers are being affected by these audits in numerous work sites, and we anticipate a continued rise in I-9 audits across the country soon. UNITE HERE joins allies in calling on the Obama Administration to grant administrative relief, even as we wait for ultimate reform legislation from Congress. Our union will never give up and we will never give in until all immigrant families have justice and peace.

ORLANDO – In a first-of-its-kind poll, more than 7,000 employees cast ballots on Wednesday in support of their union’s new approach to contract negotiations for housekeepers, custodians and food and beverage workers at Walt Disney World Resort.

With workers’ contract set to expire in March 2014, Wednesday’s vote signaled approval for a new bargaining process that will build a broad worker-led negotiating committee to identify and prioritize issues in the new contract. For workers, the vote represents a referendum on the union’s new direction under Local 737’s union’s recently elected President Jeremy Cruz-Haicken, who has teamed up with Local 362 President Eric Clinton. The 2014 contract will be the first negotiated under the new leadership team.

"This is the first time I’ve participated in my union’s contract negotiations," said Maria Carrillo, a housekeeper at Disney’s All Star Resort. "I’m excited to have a voice in the process. As room cleaners, we will bargain on the issues that matter to us most like workload and scheduling."

The vote comes one month after hundreds of Disney employees participated in a worker convention, another first for the UNITE HERE local unions.

"Local 737 and Local 362 are great unions. We are building on the traditions of the past, while becoming the most democratic, forward-thinking and transparent organization in Central Florida," said Cruz-Haicken. "Tourism is the heart of Central Florida’s economy, and Disney workers are at the center of our economic growth. Disney workers are no different than other Central Florida tourism workers. They are concerned about getting full-time work, about their wages, their health insurance benefits and the conditions they face at work while welcoming millions of visitors to our region. We want to work with Disney to make sure next year’s contract improves the lives’ of workers and their families. Doing so will improve cast member service and keep guests coming back."

UNITE HERE’s Organizing Beyond Barriers program is now accepting applications for our 2014 summer internship program. Learn organizing skills, strategic thinking, and movement building by doing it hands on this summer.  Early acceptance will be March 15th and the application deadline is April 15th.  We’re looking forward to getting your application.

Click here to learn more and apply.

Norwalk, CT – December 10, 2013 – HEI Hotels & Resorts and labor union UNITE HERE affirmed today the formation of a long-term partnership focused on generating mutual growth and improving industry-wide labor relations through communication. While details of the strategic relationship are not being announced, the agreement resolves all ongoing matters between the union and HEI.

"Today marks a milestone for the hotel industry and organized labor," said Anthony Rutledge, Chief Executive Officer of HEI Hotels & Resorts. "For decades, organized labor and hotel owners have struggled to create a format to share ideas and concerns openly, honestly and in a positive manner. The long term partnership we forged with UNITE HERE will now change that, with improvements that will be mutually beneficial to HEI, UNITE HERE and the broader hotel industry."

Within this new relationship, UNITE HERE has agreed to immediately terminate its campaign and activities against HEI and its hotels, investors, clients, guests, partners and representatives. The agreement also provides a framework for HEI and UNITE HERE to grow together in the future.

"We are excited about a more collaborative relationship with HEI Hotels that will benefit both the company and hotel workers nationwide," said D. Taylor, the President of UNITE HERE. "Working together, we can ensure that open dialogue on such important issues will have long standing benefits for all constituents."

On Dec. 9, more than 100 hospitality workers who are members of UNITE HERE Local 1 in Chicago took part in a Town Hall meeting with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Together they discussed working to grow Chicago’s tourism and convention business. The meeting marks the first time in UNITE HERE Local 1’s history that a Chicago mayor met with workers, and it was the first town hall meeting that Mayor Emanuel has held with any Chicago union.

“You and I have the same agenda,” Sheraton cocktail server Diane Chestnut told Mayor Emanuel. “We want people coming back.”

Diane, who shared a story with the Mayor about cooking soul food for singer Harry Belafonte, was just one Local 1 member who talked about going the extra mile for Chicago’s visitors. Kenneth Williams, a Doubletree bellman, told the Mayor how he helped a young man set up a romantic evening to propose to his girlfriend.  Others highlighted the essential role that hospitality workers play wooing meeting planners and retaining convention business.

“We got a world class city, but the most important thing is that we have world class workers that can take care of our visitors and bring them back,” said Walter Underwood, a banquet server with 26 years of service at the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago.

Mayor Emanuel shared his own vision for hospitality and tourism in Chicago.

“People always tell me how beautiful the city is and how nice we are. And, I know you are the first contact…You are essential to that strategy,” said the Mayor.

Mayor Emanuel promised to return to meet with UNITE HERE Local 1 and work together to ensure the city’s hospitality industry thrives.

For more photos from the event, click here.

Just two days before Americans were to give thanks for their blessings and opportunities, Maryland area clergy, labor leaders and members of the Baltimore community gathered to say thank you to the hundreds of food and retail workers at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.

"We’re here to give thanks to those who don’t usually receive them," said the Rev. Carletta Allen of Allendale Presbyterian Church, "We believe that employers should treat their employees with dignity and respect."

Since January, food and retail workers at BWI have been organizing for a Bill of Rights at the airport that would guarantee them job security, the right to full-time work with fair wages and benefits, a workplace free from discrimination and harassment, and the right to organize a union in a neutral environment. To date, they have held rallies and a picket at the airport, and spoken in front of the Maryland state Senate, House of Representatives and the Board of Public Works. Workers have stood tall in their fight for better job, even in the face of alleged threats and intimidation on the part of their employers. To date, the actions of three companies—Silver Diner, Creative Food Group and McDonald’s—have resulted in the involvement of the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, who entered into settlement agreements with the companies, resolving alleged unfair labor practices.

"I decied to join the union committee to fight for justice and fairness for everyone," Guetwende Yameogo, a cook at Silver Diner, told those assembled, "Thank you for supporting us in making our jobs become better jobs."

Clergy members had the opportunity to recite a blessing over the airport workers present at the ceremony, thanking them for their hard work and commitment. They then pinned a button to their lapels, which featured a photo of the airport’s namesake, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and read "Justice at BWI." In a show of solidarity, many of those in attendance also wore the buttons, as did workers throughout the airport who were unable to attend.

Also in attendance were Maryland Senator Verna Jones Rodwell, Delegate Veronica Turner, Baltimore City Councilman Carl Stokes, President of Baltimore Metro AFL-CIO Ernie Grecco, and President of the Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO, Fred Mason.

"On behalf of 300,000 union brothers and sisters, I want to say to workers that, when other people try to steal your courage… just know that you have brothers and sisters out there supporting you," said President Mason, "While times may get tough, don’t be discouraged. We will win."

Read more:

"Workers, religious leaders rally for fair labor at BWI Airport," Capital Gazette, 11/27/13

New 5-year contract covers 21,000 workers at MGM Resorts properties

After a day of voting and months of negotiations, members of the Culinary and Bartenders Unions ratified a contract with MGM Resorts International. More than 97 percent of participating members voted in favor of the contract, which covers thousands of Union workers across MGM Strip properties.

MGM Resorts International becomes the first Las Vegas Strip company to reach agreement with the Culinary and Bartenders Unions. This new contract covers more than 21,000 of the Company’s employees at Aria, Bellagio, Circus Circus Las Vegas/Slots A Fun, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York Hotel. Employee positions covered include food and beverage workers, guest room attendants, bell department, porters and many others.

Carlos Almazan, a kitchen steward at Mandalay Bay said, “This contract protects our benefits, and will help bring back jobs. It’s a good contract. I’m especially thankful to know my healthcare will be protected.”

The Union contract committee, comprised of workers from all MGM properties, has worked diligently for months, negotiating regularly with MGM management representatives to strike a mutually beneficial agreement. The previous contract expired on June 1, 2013. Terms of the new agreement are retroactive to that date.

Corey Sanders, Chief Operating Officer for MGM Resorts, said, “Both sides have crafted an agreement that, despite difficult economic times, addresses the needs of Union workers and their families as well as those of the Company. Our aim has always been to negotiate an agreement that works for everyone; one that will allow everyone to provide and to succeed. We believe that’s what the Unions and the Company have achieved here: a smart contract, one that charts our Company’s future growth with the Unions.”

The new economic package, agreed to by both sides after long negotiations, allows workers to keep their current high-quality health insurance and other important benefits. Specific changes in food and beverage terms aim to provide necessary flexibility needed to reopen closed venues and bring workers back to their jobs. Finally, new measures in housekeeping create departmental language designed to increase job safety.

Read the press release.

Two unions and 10 Strip properties operated by MGM Resorts International have reached agreement on a new five-year contract that will be voted on by workers today.

The new contract involving Culinary Local 226, Bartenders Local 165, and MGM Resorts covers more than 21,000 jobs at Aria, Bellagio, Circus Circus Las Vegas, Slots A Fun, Excalibur, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York-New York.

According to a statement from the culinary union, several of the economic terms and provisions would be applied to about 5,000 additional union positions at MGM Grand’s Signature Towers and Vdara at CityCenter, properties whose contracts expire at other times.

Read the rest of the article.