Atlantic City’s largest casino union staged a mass protest Thursday, giving what it warned is a preview of contentious contract negotiations ahead with the gaming industry.

"We’re not going to sink to the bottom by following Morris Bailey and Resorts," Bob McDevitt, president of Local 54 of UNITE-HERE, said as the crowd erupted in cheers and applause during a demonstration in front of Resorts Casino Hotel.

The union, which represents about 15,000 workers at the 11 casino hotels, singled out Resorts to protest steep pay cuts imposed by the new owners of Atlantic City’s oldest gaming hall. Bailey, a New York real estate magnate, bought the financially troubled casino in December for $31.5 million.

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In several cities nationwide, HEI workers and supporters are protesting the mistreatment of workers by HEI Hotels, the 7th largest hotel management company in the U.S. Protests are focusing on the company’s pattern of punishing actions against "whistle-blowers"–workers who speak up about their working conditions.

Three recent incidents highlight what happens to HEI workers when they speak up about their working conditions. On April 20, 2011, the HEI-owned Hilton Long Beach fired five housekeepers after three of them raised concerns with management about unfair working conditions. The housekeepers had also been participating in an ongoing state investigation into the legality of their employment arrangements. They were paid under the table without a legal paycheck. On March 30, 2011, a jury ruled unanimously that a former Senior Vice President was retaliated against for filing a complaint with the government for age discrimination. He was awarded in $4.5 million in damages. On May 11, 2011, a doorman from the HEI Sheraton in Northern Virginia went to HEI’s annual investors’ meeting to present a worker’s view of HEI’s business approach. When he returned, he was interrogated  and disciplined at work for his involvement in the meeting.  

"It’s not fair that we work hard, and then get thrown away like garbage," said Maria Medina, a former housekeeper at the Hilton Long Beach, who was fired just two days after she and two other women spoke out about unfair working conditions to the hotel’s human resources director.

Tell Gary Mendell, CEO of HEI Hotels and Resorts, that you won’t stand for continued retaliation against workers who speak up about unfair working conditions!

Over one hundred airport workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 30, rallied on July 25 outside Lindbergh Field’s Terminal 1, home of Southwest Airlines at the San Diego Airport. Airport workers take issue with the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s recommendations for its new retail concessions.

"I’ve worked at this Airport for decades, through numerous transitions," said Donna Hernandez, a 40 year concessions employee at San Diego International. "We’re making noise today because right now retail workers don’t have any guarantee to keep their working standards when the new terminal opens."

In the last week, the Airport issued its recommendations for new food and retail concessions planned to begin at the end of 2012. Of the four major concessionaires recommended for the bulk of the new retail operations, three have not made commitments to avoid labor disputes and ensure a smooth transition. The uncertainty on retail is at odds with the Airport’s decisions on food concessions, where the recommended companies have committed to a comprehensive transition plan that includes assuming all of the costs associated with the massive workforce transition.

More than 600 hotel workers and their supporters rallied in front of the Westin Hotel in Downtown Seattle on July 22 while 150 people gathered in front of the SeaTac Doubletree to support hotel workers who are fighting for livable wages, job security, safe working conditions, and respect on the job.

Workers from Seattle-area hotels were joined by community supporters and labor groups, including members of AFTRA (the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) who are staying at the Westin as part of their national convention.

This summer, union contracts covering over 1,400 workers have expired. The affected hotels and restaurants include the Westin, Edgewater, Seattle Hilton, Washington Athletic Club, Space Needle, SeaTac Hilton, and the Doubletree.

For more information, visit UNITE HERE Local 8 on the web by clicking here.

Joined by coworkers from around the country, hundreds of inflight catering workers for LSG Sky Chefs from New York’s airports marched to the headquarters of the German airline Lufthansa, Sky Chefs’ parent company, on July 14 to demand the settlement of a fair contract for the more than 6,000 Sky Chefs workers across North America who have been in contract negotiations since October 2009.

"I marched today to show Lufthansa that all Sky Chefs workers nationwide stand together," says Carmen Vargas, a 20-year Sky Chefs employee in New York. "All we ask for is a fair contract with good wages and benefits, that is what we are fighting for."

Workers at the German-owned company, some of whom have not had raises since 2002, are seeking improvements in wages and more affordable health care.

UNITE HERE represents over 6,000 Sky Chefs workers in more than 40 kitchens around the country. LSG Sky Chefs’ main competitor, Gate Gourmet, settled a contract with its union workers in June 2010.

Today, July 15, Hyatt housekeeper Margarita Ramos from the Hyatt Century Plaza in Los Angeles presented at a congressional staff briefing on Capitol Hill sponsored by the National Council of La Raza on "Strong Worker Protections for a Strong Economy." In sharing her story, Ramos’ presentation highlights the dangers that housekeepers face on the job and what housekeepers nationwide are doing to speak out and make their workplaces safer.

The event is being held in conjunction with the release of a new report by the National Council of La Raza: We Needed the Work: Latino Worker Voices in the New Economy.

Pictured: Margarita Ramos, Hyatt Housekeeper from the Hyatt Century Plaza in Los Angeles, with staff from the National Council of La Raza.

Hospitality workers hit the streets of San Jose on July 14 to send a message to employers that they are ready to fight for respect and fair contracts. 200 hospitality workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 19, joined with students and community and labor allies to march through downtown San Jose, stopping at each of the major downtown hotels to engage in lively street demonstrations of solidarity.

Over 200 workers from Seattle-area hotels gathered on July 7th in front of the Westin hotel, demanding to share in the hospitality sector’s recovery.

Over 1,400 Seattle hospitality workers with expired agreements have united in order to demand not only wage and benefit increases that grow along with company profits, but also to demand that hotel industry provide a fair process to workers seeking to organize in newly build properties.

During the recession, hotels continued to remain profitable through a combination of layoffs, decreased work schedules and increased workloads for staff, burdening its low-wage workforce. According to the industry’s own projections, hotels will be returning to record profit levels by 2012.

"Hotel workers can sometimes seem invisible," says Erik Van Rossum, Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 8, the union representing the workers in the campaign. "They create luxury in Seattle’s hotels by cleaning the rooms, washing the dishes, and cooking the food, among other thankless jobs. But now they are standing up with one voice to demand respect and fairness."

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The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas was chosen as one of the recipients of the Today show’s "Lend a Hand" program in June. Other cities with "Lend a Hand" winners were Anchorage, Alaska, Houston Texas, Birmingham, Alabama and Charleston, W. Virginia.

The Culinary Academy of Las Vegas is a non-profit organization that prepares workers for employment in the gaming and hospitality industry through training and education. It is a joint labor and management training trust fund between the Culinary Union Local 226, Bartenders Local 165 and major resort properties on the Las Vegas strip.

In its 10th year, "Lend a Hand" provides a jump start to charitable giving not only cash but food and beverages as well. Other major donors were MGM Resorts, Zappos, Cosmopolitan, Tyson Foods and Smithfield (a pork distributor).

The donated food will be distributed through the Culinary Academy’s program for local food banks. Three Square, a local food distribution program, also received a donation.

Click here to read more about the Today show’s "Lend a Hand" program.