Victories in 2012

All across the region, hospitality workers are standing up for a better life!

You helped build power for better wages and continued benefits in all our agreements negotiated in 2012, including the Edgewater Hotel, Hilton SeaTac and Doubletree SeaTac, the Washington Athletic Club, the Hilton Seattle, the Red Lion Olympia, Best Wester Executive Inn, the Best Western Loyal Inn, the Hilton Portland, and HMS HOST at SeaTac Airport and Spokane Airport.

Housekeepers in all our hotels with new contracts also gained safer workloads, dropping one or more rooms per shift, depending on the number of checkouts.

Workers at the Seattle Hilton were able to breathe easier knowing their jobs were protected even after the sale of their hotel. Other properties that won successorship in 2012 include: Red Lion Olympia, Best Western Executive Inn, Best Western Loyal Inn, Hilton SeaTac, Doubletree Seatac, and Hilton Portland.

This year saw great victories for stadium workers as well. For the first time ever, the food service workers at Safeco Field will have access to health insurance. Workers at Safeco stood up to management, rallied, and encouraged community leaders to sign an email petition for their health insurance. The future also looks bright for stadium workers who will work at the proposed basketball arena in Seattle, with an agreement to organize by card check.

Workers at the non-union Hyatt at Olive 8 publicly demanded a fair process to organize, without interference from management. A few months after the campaign began, Hyatt gave raises of between $1 and $3 per hour to non-tipped workers.

Despite continuing resistance to providing a fair process for the workers at the Hyatt at Olive 8, the Hyatt Corporation agreed to this process (card check neutrality) for a proposed hotel at the Portland Convention Center.