We Are One – Rally For Workers’ Rights

UNITE HERE stands in Solidarity with workers in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and dozens of other states where politicians funded by billionaires like the Kochs or the Pritzker, who run Hyatt, are trying to take away the hard-won rights of working people in this country. Please join us on Saturday, April 9, 12:00pm at the Hyatt Regency Chicago at the intersection of Wacker and Stetson.We will leave from this location at 12:30pm to join Chicago in a rally to defend workers’ rights.

It is time for Illinois to stand together and speak out with one voice against the assault on workers’ rights underway in Wisconsin, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana and too many other states across this country.

April 4 is the anniversary of the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who was assassinated as he joined with striking sanitation workers — members of AFSCME — in the fight for dignity and justice. The hundreds of thousands who have marched and rallied in defense of collective bargaining over these past weeks are part of an unbroken chain that runs from Memphis in 1968 to Madison in 2011. All of us in Illinois who unite to defend the middle class against unbridled corporate power are links in that chain too.

During the week of April 4, rallied will be held in cities all across Illinois, as well as community education and outreach events, culminating in an all-Illinois rally in downtown Chicago on Saturday, April 9.

Please join us!

UNITE HERE and Hilton reach settlements in Chicago, San Francisco, and Hawaii

After extensive negotiations, Hilton leads industry with contracts that move workers forward as the industry emerges from recession

After many months of bargaining, UNITE HERE and Hilton Worldwide have reached tentative settlements in three major markets—Chicago, San Francisco, and Honolulu. The agreements signal a major breakthrough in citywide hotel negotiations nationally and a path forward for hotel workers as the hospitality industry emerges from the recession. In Chicago, members of UNITE HERE Local 1 ratified the contracts, affecting 1600 workers from the Drake, Palmer House Hilton, Chicago Hilton, and Hilton O’Hare, on Friday, March 4.

While terms of the settlements vary in each city, the contracts include wage increases, improved job stability language, and reduced workloads for housekeeping staff and others. Significantly, the new contracts also preserve low-cost, high-quality healthcare and pension benefits for Hilton workers and their families at a time when nationwide these employee benefits are being cut.

“Of course our health insurance is important, but for me I’m also really happy that were able to maintain a reasonable room quota for housekeepers,” says Claudia Virto, a room attendant at the Hilton Chicago. “Housekeeping work is difficult, but the changes we’ve made together with Hilton will reduce the chance of injuries and ensure that I will continue to have a job.”

“This settlement is good for Chicago, good for Hilton and good for our members,” says Henry Tamarin, President of UNITE HERE Local 1.

Hilton workers are among 6,500 other hotel workers in downtown Chicago and over 1500 hotel workers near O’Hare airport that have been in contract negotiations since August of 2009. The settlement with Hilton brings newfound stability to three major hospitality markets, which have faced protracted disputes with other major employers, including Hyatt Hotels (NYSE: H) and Starwood.

“We are pleased to have achieved a fair settlement for all sides—one that allows workers to move forward and share in the robust recovery that the hotel industry is experiencing,” says John Wilhelm, President of UNITE HERE. “We applaud Hilton for leading the way and upholding a decent standard for service workers in the hospitality industry.”

Nationwide, the hotel industry is already rebounding faster and stronger than expected. PKF Hospitality projects that hotel revenues will rise an average of 8% annually from 2010 through 2014. Bargaining continues for contracts affecting thousands more hotel workers in Chicago, San Francisco, Honolulu and several other cities across North America.

UNITE HERE Local 1 sways key city council races

With hundreds of UNITE HERE Local 1 members knocking on doors this election season, the union representing hospitality workers in Chicago helped sway a number of key city council races. The union’s support helped land decisive victories for candidates such as Ald. Ricardo Munoz (22nd Ward; 66% win) and Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward; 84% win), and helped Alderman John Pope survive a tough challenge in the 10th Ward.*

Local 1 members also worked hard to elect new Aldermen who will stand up for hospitality workers, supporting State Representative Harry Osterman (48th), and aiming to unseat long-time incumbent Bernard Stone (50th Ward) by backing Debra Silverstein. She will face Stone in a run-off election in April.

“I could not have gotten this far without UNITE HERE. I have been totally overwhelmed by the support they have provided to us, not just passing out literature in the neighborhoods but really taking the time to talk to people,” says Debra Silverstein, a candidate in the 50th Ward, whose aldermanic bid has pushed the longest-serving alderman, Bernard Stone, into a run-off. Stone is the key backer of the ownership of the Congress Hotel, where members of Local 1 have been on strike for more than 7 years.

By contrast, Silverstein has been a vocal supporter of Local 1 members. “I’ve heard from an airport worker about the conditions he was working under, and it was horrible. That needs to change. Everyone should have fair wages and health insurance.” In the weeks leading up to Feb. 22, Local 1 election canvassers knocked on over 10,000 doors in the 50th Ward alone.

UNITE HERE Local 1 provided support to 21 candidates for the 2011 Chicago aldermanic races, focusing on candidates who have shown leadership on issues important to its members in the hospitality industry, such as a living wage for airport workers, support for area Hyatt and Congress Hotel boycotts, and the creation of good jobs in public venues like the public schools and McCormick Place.

The union of housekeepers, dishwashers, and cooks represents workers across Chicago’s hospitality industry, including downtown hotel workers, food service workers at area colleges and universities, airport service workers at both Chicago airports, and casino workers in Northwest Indiana. The union has made waves in recent months with strikes and demonstrations taking on hotel heavyweights like Chicago-based Hyatt and Hilton. The union also represents workers at the Congress Hotel, who have sustained a seven-year strike—the longest hotel strike in recorded history. In this election cycle, Local 1’s diverse membership has turned its attention and energy to several key aldermanic races, in the hopes of growing the ranks of city leaders who support working people in the region’s hospitality industry with initiatives like the airport living wage ordinance.

*Results for 22nd Ward represent 84% of the precincts reporting

Chicago Aldermen to introduce ordinance to protect airport jobs, operations

Chicago aldermen are introducing a “Stable Jobs Stable Airports Ordinance” at a Chicago City Council Meeting, held on Feb. 9, 2011. Airport workers and aldermen, including Ald. Ricardo Munoz, Ald. Fredrenna Lyle, Ald. Joe Moore, Ald. Toni Foulkes, Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno, and Ald. Scott Waguespack, announced details of the proposed ordinance at a press conference held prior to the aldermanic meeting.

The ordinance would help ensure a smooth transition as the City undertakes a massive redevelopment of $250 million of retail and food concessions at O’Hare and Midway Airports – the largest in the City’s history. More than 1,500 workers, the majority of whom are Chicago residents, could be thrown out of work or see their wages cut by this process, harming communities throughout Chicago.

Around the country airports like LAX, LaGuardia, JFK, Miami, Cleveland and others have adopted policies to ensure smooth transitions during similar redevelopments. The ordinance would provide stability for airport workers and Chicago communities, and ensure new concession contractors follow City minimum wage standards.

 

Chicago Aldermen to introduce ordinance to protect airport jobs, operations

Chicago aldermen are introducing a “Stable Jobs Stable Airports Ordinance” at a Chicago City Council Meeting, held on Feb. 9, 2011. Airport workers and aldermen, including Ald. Ricardo Munoz, Ald. Fredrenna Lyle, Ald. Joe Moore, Ald. Toni Foulkes, Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno, and Ald. Scott Waguespack, announced details of the proposed ordinance at a press conference held prior to the aldermanic meeting.

The ordinance would help ensure a smooth transition as the City undertakes a massive redevelopment of $250 million of retail and food concessions at O’Hare and Midway Airports – the largest in the City’s history. More than 1,500 workers, the majority of whom are Chicago residents, could be thrown out of work or see their wages cut by this process, harming communities throughout Chicago.

Around the country airports like LAX, LaGuardia, JFK, Miami, Cleveland and others have adopted policies to ensure smooth transitions during similar redevelopments. The ordinance would provide stability for airport workers and Chicago communities, and ensure new concession contractors follow City minimum wage standards.

Chicago Federation of Labor Offers College Scholarships

The Chicago Federation of Labor will once again offer the William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship Awardsto ten graduating high school students who are members of union families.

The CFL will offer five (5) academic-based scholarships and five (5) random-drawing scholarships in the amount of $2,000 to students graduating from a Chicago or suburban high school. Students may apply in only one of the two categories. The period for submitting applications is January 1 through March 1, 2011.

To be eligible, either the student or one of his or her parents must be a member of a local union affiliated with the Chicago Federation of Labor. All applications must be signed by one of the top two officers of the local union to which the student or his or her parents belongs.

All additional requirements are listed on the application form, including criteria for judging the academic competition. Completed applications must be returned to the CHicago Federation of Labor, William A. Lee Memorial Scholarship Committee, 130 E. Randolph St., Suite 2600, Chicago, IL 60601. All applications must be postmarked by no later than March 1, 2011.

Please see the application for more complete rules. Good luck Class of 2011!

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

TV Special on Local 1 Members to Air in January!

This January, Labor Beat will be airing three segments featuring the actions of UNITE HERE! Local 1. These incredible segments will be airing on CAN TV in Chicago and Evanston Community Media Center. The full schedule of when the segments will air can be found after the descriptions below.

One Day Strike at Palmer House Hilton
UNITE HERE Local 1 hotel workers hold a one-day strike at Chicago’s landmark Palmer House Hilton. They talk about big workload increases and layoffs the Hilton company is trying to force the workers to accept, this while working without a contract for 15 months.

Mop March for Chicago Hyatt Hotel Housekeepers
To dramatize excessive workloads, housekeepers and labor community supporters march with mops and buckets up to the entrance of the Hyatt to explain that they were there to help the housekeepers do their work. They were not allowed in, but they made their point.

The 2002 Averted Strike of Chicago Hotel Workers
Excerpts from our Labor Beat documentary “The 7,000”. The huge march down Michigan Avenue, the countdown to the strike deadline, the last minute negotiations to avert the strike, the vote to ratify the contract. A testament to the power of the union and the rank-and-file.

The segments will air on Chicago CAN TV, Cable Channel 19 on the following dates:

  • Thursday, January 6 at 9:30pm
  • Friday, January 7 at 4:30pm
  • Thursday, January 13 at 9:30pm
  • Friday, January 14 at 4:30pm

They will also air on Evanston Community Media Center, Public Access Cable Channel 6 on the following dates:

    • Monday, January 17 at 5:30pm
    • Wednesday, January 19 at 7:00pm
    • Saturday, January 22 at 12:30pm
    • Monday, January 24 at 5:30pm
    • Wednesday, January 26 at 7:00pm
    • Saturday, January 29 at 12:30am

In addition, this DVD can be ordered from Labor Beat (Committee for Labor Access) by clicking here. Please put title of DVD, “One Day Strike at Palmer House Hilton” in Description box. Put $15 in Unit Price box. $20 for Canada, and $25 for other countries outside the U.S. NTSC format only.