Archive for category: Updates

UNITE HERE Local 8: Are Hilton Hotels nICE Hotels? Seattle Embassy Suites Workers Call Out Company’s Insufficient Protections for Immigrants as Strike Passes 50 Days  

Hilton has not agreed to tell the Union if ICE is present at their hotel, union launches billboard and digital ads informing customers 

Seattle – As workers at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown Pioneer Square mark 50 days on strike, their union UNITE HERE Local 8 is calling out Hilton Hotels for rejecting proposed contract language that would require Hilton to tell Local 8 if ICE or DHS agents are present on the premises.

The union launched a digital billboard in downtown Seattle and digital ads to Hilton customers that place Hilton’s brand inside an ice cube, symbolizing the company’s ongoing position that ICE agents are welcome to stay at its hotels. The ads ask, “Are Hilton Hotels nICE hotels?” and remind customers the hotel is under boycott.

Hilton has faced public scrutiny for welcoming ICE agents to stay at its hotels and for removing their brand and loyalty program from a hotel after the hotel cancelled bookings for ICE agents during the surge in Minneapolis. Activist group Sunrise Movement launched a national boycott and a series of actions in response.

Embassy Suites workers have been on strike since June 18 for protections from ICE, as well as year-round healthcare, fair raises and staffing levels. The proposed contract language around ICE would require the company to notify Local 8 if it becomes aware of ICE on the premises and also give more flexibility to workers who don’t feel safe working while ICE is around.

“With ICE-related killings in the news for months causing immigrant workers to worry, why is Hilton refusing to give immigrant workers’ union a heads up if ICE is staying at the hotel?” said UNITE HERE Local 8 President Anita Seth. “Give people a chance to protect themselves and their families.”

“I’ve been seeing more ICE presence in my city and I’m worried. We’ve heard about ICE harassing and abducting people they think don’t ‘belong’ here. All we want is for our union to be told if ICE agents are at our hotel so we can protect ourselves from harassment or worse,” said Elkin Ortega, house attendant at Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Downtown. “Why is Hilton refusing to stand with us?”

Workers forced to walk through raw sewage in Ruth’s Chris restaurant at Grand Hyatt Seattle

On January 3rd, 2016, a plumbing malfunction caused raw sewage to flood an elevator shaft, some banquet rooms in Ruth’s Chris restaurant, and an employee locker room. The restaurant continued to function, and workers were asked to go retrieve their belongings from their lockers, requiring them to walk through raw sewage and toilet paper. One worker described the stench as “overwhelming.”

Some workers had no choice but to walk through the raw sewage and then into the kitchen without cleaning or changing their shoes. The restaurant remained open for business that evening but was closed for breakfast and lunch the following day.

Hyatt at Olive 8 & Grand Hyatt Seattle picket 8-12-15

 

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UNITE HERE Local 8 City of Seattle Primary Endorsements

UNITE HERE Local 8 has endorsed the following candidates for the August 4, 2015 Primary Election in Seattle:

Seattle City Council

District 1 – Lisa Herbold and Brianna Thomas

District 2 – Bruce Harrell

District 3 – Kshama Sawant

District 4 – Jean Godden

District 5 – Sandy Brown and Halei Watkins

District 6 – Mike O’Brien

District 7 – Sally Bagshaw

At-large position 8 – Tim Burgess

At-large position 9 – Lorena Gonzalez

Space Needle Workers, Seattle City Councilmembers Pledge Continued Fight for Job Security

job security action photo

SEATTLE—Workers and members of the Seattle City Council gathered at the base of the Space Needle Tuesday to continue the fight for job security at the symbol of Seattle.

One week ago, Space Needle workers won their first raises in over three years. On July 14, the Space Needle Corporation declared impasse and implemented its latest bargaining proposal. The proposal included immediate pay increases, retro pay going back to the expiration of the last union contract in 2011, and scheduled raises going forward. Workers will receive their first raises on July 24.

Space Needle workers were joined by Seattle City Councilmembers Jean Godden, Bruce Harrell, Kshama Sawant and Mike O’Brien and by City Council candidate Sandy Brown.

Space Needle valet cashier Veronica Chernichenko described how hard it was for her to be in school and work two jobs to support her family during the period the Space Needle was withholding raises.

“Last week, we received word that our demand for a raise had finally gotten through, and that the company would begin to pay us what we actually deserve for all the hard work we do. This raise completely changed everything for me. I’ve reduced my hours drastically at my second job thanks to my hourly wage increasing.”

Though the Space Needle has had authorization from the union to implement stand-alone raises since 2013, management has instead used the pretense of impasse to couple the raises with other proposals that Space Needle workers have found to be unacceptable in bargaining.

The proposal that the Space Needle is unilaterally implementing does not address workers’ need for job security protections and imposes unprecedented barriers to communication between workers and union representatives.

“These employees are asking for security. They don’t know what’s going to happen in a year or two years,” said Councilmember Bruce Harrell.  “These folks have given their blood, sweat and tears, their resources, their life towards serving and they do their jobs quite well. We need security.”

“Their fight is our fight. Their fight is Seattle’s fight. And we stand with them every step of the way,” said Councilmember Kshama Sawant.

Councilmembers Nick Licata and John Okamoto were unable to attend Tuesday’s event but each sent a letter to Space Needle CEO Ron Sevart in support of workers.

“At the Space Needle, we’ve learned that by standing together, we can win what is right and fair. We have a city and elected officials who support us in having real job security so that these good jobs stay that way. And we’re here today to make sure everyone knows that we’ll be in this one day longer, until we win the guarantee of job security,” said Chernichenko.