Posts tagged Unite Here
Workers at downtown Phoenix hotel strike during Final Four
April 9, 2024 // The news release alleges the unlawful behavior hotel management participated in includes alleged interrogation and alleged surveillance tactics, as well as the alleged unlawful termination of two union employees. "We are saddened that the NCAA made the choice to book the teams playing in the Final Four in at least two hotels who have refused to pay a living wage for the last nine months," UNITE HERE 11 said in a statement posted to "X," formerly known as Twitter. Marriott provided this statement to 12News: "We understand that Unite Here representatives have been actively encouraging our downtown Phoenix hotel associates to engage in a work stoppage since this morning. All of our associates scheduled to work at the Renaissance and Westin and approximately two-thirds of those scheduled to work at the Sheraton came to work today. We respect those associates who exercised their right to refrain from working and those who chose to come to work. We remain available and willing to negotiate in good faith for a fair contract that is in the best interest of our associates, our guests, and our owners.
Ice cream chain franchisee raises new questions about California’s fast-food labor law
March 31, 2024 // Assemblyman Chris Holden has not responded to a request for comment. A spokesman for SEIU California referred KCRA 3 to the California Labor Commission. No state leader involved or member of SEIU has responded to KCRA 3's question if they intended to include ice cream shops in the new law. "California’s landmark law raising wages for over 500,000 workers will result in urgently needed relief for working families on April 1, when the wage increase takes effect," the SEIU California spokesman said in a statement. The SEIU has previously said KCRA 3's reporting on its use of nondisclosure agreements is a "nothingburger." "Entities who will determine who will be subject to the law include the labor commissioner's office, the fast-food council, and potentially the courts," said Alex Stack, a spokesman for Gov. Newsom, told KCRA. Campbell told KCRA 3 she has hired a lobbyist and attorneys. When asked if she's considering taking legal action she said, "I think everything is on the table."
Push to mandate two weeks of paid vacation for workers
March 25, 2024 // Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Greg Casar (D-Texas.) and Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas.) are co-sponsors of the bill. Democratic lawmakers joined by union leaders held a press conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to garner support. “Those who are most in need of time off are the ones who can least afford to take it unpaid,” Political Director with UNITE-HERE, Susan Valentine said. She emphasized that denying workers the basic benefit of paid time off perpetuates inequality.
California lawmakers pass more carveouts from new fast food labor law
March 19, 2024 // The legislation approved Monday will exempt fast food restaurants in airports, hotels, convention centers, arenas, museums, casinos and college campuses. Lawmakers noted those workers already have collective bargaining agreements that include benefits and higher pay than the state's new minimum wage for fast food workers. The exemptions will apply immediately once the governor signs the bill. Sources who spoke to KCRA 3 on the condition they remain anonymous said Monday's action is the result of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) use of non-disclosure agreements in the final negotiations of the fast-food labor law, known as the FAST Recovery Act. SEIU required the fast-food industry representatives to sign the NDA's to build trust during a contentious discussion on how to move forward with the legislation last summer. As a result, SEIU kept other labor groups out of the final negotiations.
The Restaurant Group Behind a Popular Downtown Hotel Closes Five Restaurants, Lays Off 100 Unionizing Employees
February 14, 2024 // Through Unite Here Local 11, the hotel’s restaurant and bar workers filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in January 2024 that accused Noble 33 of suppressing labor organizing among its staff. According to the report, “Noble 33 contends that its contract with Hotel Figueroa stipulates that the unionization of food and beverage employees would trigger a kill clause between both parties.” However, Hotel Figueroa and Unite Here Local 11 deny this claim.
Second Group of Philly Ultimo Coffee Employees Successfully Remove Unwanted “Workers United” Union
January 18, 2024 // Within the last year, Starbucks employees in Manhattan, NY; two Buffalo, NY locations; Pittsburgh, PA; Bloomington, MN; Salt Lake City, UT; Greenville, SC; Oklahoma City, OK; and San Antonio, TX, have all sought free Foundation legal aid in navigating NLRB processes to decertify the WU union. Workers from a Center City Starbucks in Philadelphia are also pursuing a decertification petition against WU with Foundation legal assistance. Coffee employees in the Philadelphia area have scored a string of recent victories in removing unpopular union officials. In May 2023, workers at Guava and Java’s location at Philadelphia International Airport successfully voted to oust UNITE HERE union officials, and a few months later Good Karma Café employees cast ballots to remove the WU union. This month, Ultimo Coffee barista Samuel Tarasenko and his colleagues successfully forced WU out of the coffee shop’s Germantown-area location.
Workers at Good Vibrations adult retailers move one step closer to unionizing
January 2, 2024 // If the union election results in workers deciding to unionize, Good Vibrations stores in Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, Palo Alto and Santa Cruz will be affected, along with the adult entertainment store Camouflage in Santa Cruz, according to Jim Araby, spokesperson for UFCW Local 5. Araby said Good Vibrations workers needed at least 30% of them to sign union authorization cards in order to spur a union election and they received well over 50%.
More SoCal hotel workers agree to new deal with Marriott, Hilton
December 18, 2023 // More than 1,700 housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers and front desk workers signed the deal, according to Unite Here Local 11, which said 20 high-end Southland hotels have now signed new contract agreements. Those employees work at the Irvine Marriott, W Hotel Westwood, SLS Beverly Hills, Westin LAX, Sheraton Grand DTLA, JW Marriott LA Live, Ritz-Carlton LA Live, Courtyard Marriott DTLA, Residence Inn DTLA and Hilton Irvine. - Language improvements, including historic Equal Justice language that, among other things, will help to provide access to union jobs for formerly incarcerated individuals and unprecedented protections for immigrant workers.
Commentary: New Biden ‘Joint Employer’ regulation is a boon for unions
November 13, 2023 // In short, joint employment is a possible means for unions to organize major corporations all at once, rather than the piecemeal process of organizing workers at one location at a time. Incidentally, two of the board’s three Democrat majority members are David Prouty, former general counsel of the service employee union UNITE HERE, and Gwynne Wilcox, a former lawyer for the Service Employees International Union. Chairwoman Lauren McFerran served as a staffer of former Sen. Tom Harkin, a longtime union ally.
Why the hotel workers in Las Vegas might be the next big strike
October 15, 2023 // Rogers, Martinez, Buie, and their coworkers are now waiting to find out what comes next. Culinary 226 remains locked in negotiations for a new five-year contract. With the membership primed to strike, there’s no telling how long it will be before Striketober comes to the Strip. If—and when—the call comes, though, they will be ready. “I voted yes to authorize a strike because I’m fighting for my family and for our future,” Maria Sanchez, a guest room attendant at the Bellagio and Culinary Union member, said in a statement. “The workload since the pandemic has been intense, and when I get home I’m so tired and I don’t have energy to take my two kids to the park or play with them. . . . I voted yes to win the best contract ever so that I can work one job and come home to spend time with my children.”