Seattle Arctic Club Workers Ratify First Contract

December 21, 2010

Hotel workers at the Doubletree Arctic Club Hotel in Downtown Seattle ratified their first ever Union contract. The agreement provides workers with wage increases, free health coverage for individuals, safe workloads for housekeepers, as well as job security protections through a no subcontracting pledge from the employer.

The ratification vote marked the end of a long bargaining process that began over a year ago. The workers won union recognition in September of 2009, and have since worked hard to earn a strong first collective bargaining agreement. UNITE HERE Local 8 represents housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, servers, banquet, front desk, and bell positions at the hotel.

“I am excited that we won our first contract. It is a big victory for us here at the hotel, and for hotel workers in Seattle,” said Lina Evangelista, who works in the laundry department and was one of the bargaining committee members on hand to count the ballots. “We all want a better future for ourselves, and we made a big step forward together.”