Just days before the holidays, hotel workers at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago have walked off the job, launching a day long strike to protest Hilton’s efforts to lock workers into the recession. Holding signs that read "Taxpayers on Strike," workers say that Hilton is taking unfair advantage of the recession by squeezing workers even though they wheedled a $180 million bailout from the federal government. Other actions were held at the world’s largest Hiltons in Honolulu and San Francisco.

Citywide union hotel contracts expired more than 15 months ago. Two months ago, Hilton Chicago workers carried out a 3-day strike.

A group of food service workers at the Indianapolis airport represented by UNITE HERE, the union for travel hospitality workers, has ratified a union contract with SSP America, a food service provider. The union contract is the first of its kind for hospitality workers at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND).

"This is a big victory for airport workers and for all hospitality workers in Indianapolis," says Andrea Farries, who works as a prep cook at the airport. "Like anyone, I just want a better future for myself, and I’m glad that we were able to work together to allow this day to come."

Terms of the new agreement include better wages for food service workers and greater job security. UNITE HERE is currently in negotiations with an additional airport food service operator, AREAS.

On December 9, workers from Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino were joined by over 200 casino, hotel and airport workers and members of UNITE HERE Local 355. The members held an evening rally calling on Gulfstream to bargain a fair contract.

Despite the downturn in the economy, South Florida’s gaming industry is performing remarkably well. Revenues are up since new gaming regulations went into effect in July. Included in the new regulations: the reduction of slot taxes from 50% to 35%, high-limit poker and increased operating hours. "I’ve definitely seen more visitors coming in. Work is busier and people seem to be spending more – it’s a good sign," said Thurman Lennon, a cook at Gulfstream and member of Local 355’s elected leadership.

Unfortunately, Gulfstream is proposing drastic cuts: a 12-month wage freeze, cuts in holiday pay and cuts in vacation time. In this economy, workers agree that these cuts would have a devastating effect on hundreds of South Florida families. Local 355 member and Gulfstream cook Miguel Lizarraga understands what is at stake: "We can’t go backwards, and that is what the company is proposing. We need to stand strong for a good contract; one that we can all be proud of."

On December 6, LSG Sky Chefs workers in Philadelphia, along with clergy and other UNITE HERE members, held an informational rally to demand a fair contract. Sky Chefs workers all over the country are holding public information rallies to bring light to their situation, as they have now been without a contract for over a year.

In 2005, Sky Chefs workers helped keep the company from going under. They took wage and benefit cuts amounting to as much as 30% of their income. The company is implementing higher insurance costs in January 2011, and family health care costs will rise to over $500 a month for workers who on average make $10 per hour.

"I work for a multi-billion dollar company," said storeroom clerk Tee Turner. "I shouldn’t need public assistance to support myself, and neither should my coworkers."

Rev. Michael Caine of the Old First Reformed Church in Philadelphia said,"We can feel the winds of justice blowing here outside Sky Chefs. We stand together calling on Sky Chefs to settle a fair contract and allow its workers to live in dignity, not poverty."

UNITE HERE represents 7,000 Sky Chefs workers in North America.

If the National Football League owners lock out the players next season, not only will millions of fans not have games to watch, but more than 115,000 jobs could be lost, according to a new study.

The 32 NFL teams employ on average 3,739 people each, including players, concession workers and office staff. If the lockout lasts a long time, layoffs are likely and many of those jobs would not come back, said Jesse David, senior vice president of the economic consulting firm Edgeworth Economics, who conducted a study of the impact of a lockout for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Check out a summary of the study here. "A lockout would have an impact beyond the players," NFLPA official George Atallah said.

UNITE HERE members who work in stadium concessions could be some of the workers affected by a lockout. See the video about concessions workers’ solidarity with the NFLPA here.

UNITE HERE has joined with the NFFLPA and fans around the country to block the potential lockout. Join us today in signing the petition to block the lockout:

http://www.nfllockout.com/2010/10/11/petition-letter-to-nfl-commissioner-and-nfl-owners/

To read more about the potential NFL lockout and its impact on fans and workers:  www.nfllockout.com.

Members of the Service Trades Council, including UNITE HERE Local 362, are stepping up their efforts to achieve a fair contract by releasing "MouseTrapped 2010." The film highlights the workers’ struggles in working at the "happiest place on earth." The premiere of the movie on Tuesday, November 30, was followed by a march and rally.

To watch the movie, click here.

Workers at the Santa Cruz Dream Inn, members of UNITE HERE Local 483, voted Tuesday, November 30, to ratify a new union labor contract with the hotel. The new contract calls for up to $1.70 per hour in additional wages and benefits over the life of the contract. The workers will also receive a $100 signing bonus.

A tentative agreement reached November 23rd ended a contentious 8-month negotiation process, which included several public demonstrations at the hotel and the intervention of a Federal Mediator. The new contract covers 85 workers, including housekeeping, kitchen, dining, banquet, front desk, bell, and maintenance positions.

"It took us a while, but we ended up with a good total package to help our families. We kept our health plan. We got good raises, and some more in our pension fund," said Dream Inn housekeeper and mother of two, Martha Hernandez.

Local 483 Secretary-Treasurer Leonard O’Neill added, "We believe we’ve come to an agreement that helps the company promptly navigate some difficult economic times, maintains economic security for the workers and their families, and raises the union standards."

More than 50 campus dining workers at St. Peter’s College have voted to unionize and join UNITE HERE Local 100. Campus dining workers at New Jersey’s only Jesuit, Catholic college are employees of the multinational food service company Sodexo.

The Sodexo workers at St. Peter’s voted on Monday, November 22nd to join UNITE HERE Local 100. The workers will now prepare to negotiate a first contract.

"I support the union because we deserve a voice on the job. Now we will be able to negotiate for better wages and benefits that will mean a lot to our families," said Cleveland Williams, who has worked at St. Peter’s for 4 years.

The St. Peter’s workers are the second group of cafeteria workers at a Catholic college or university to win union representation with UNITE HERE in the past week. On November 16th, over 200 dining workers at Loyola University Chicago joined UNITE HERE Local 1.

Women all across the US and Canada rolled up their sleeves on November 18 to go help Hyatt housekeepers clean their rooms.

Delegations into Hyatt Hotels in 10 cities come just one week after housekeepers at the Hyatt Regency and several other Hyatt properties in Chicago filed complaints with OSHA about work-related injuries that can lead, in some instances, to permanent disability. The delegations visited Hyatt properties in Chicago, Honolulu, Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Antonio, Indianapolis and Vancouver.

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After months of organizing, over 200 campus dining workers at Loyola University Chicago have won union representation, choosing to join UNITE HERE Local 1.

"I feel blessed. A union means a better life for me and my family," said Janet Irving, a Loyola campus dining worker and member of the worker organizing committee that had been building support for the union at Loyola, one of the leading Catholic Jesuit universities in the nation.

With UNITE HERE, the Loyola workers join the leading union of food service workers in North America, joining dining workers from over 100 campuses across the United States and Canada. In Chicago, the Loyola workers join dining workers at DePaul University who are also members of UNITE HERE Local 1 and recently won a great new contract, which included significant improvements in wages and healthcare benefits as well as protections for immigrant workers.

The worker organizing committee at Loyola will enter into contract negotiations with their employer in the coming months. For now, they are celebrating. "I love taking care of the students in the dining halls, and I feel great that now I will get to do it as a union member," Loyola dining service worker Eva Rangel said.