Hotel Workers to Picket Westin Hotel

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As Seattle hotels prosper, workers call for their share of the economic recovery; union contracts already expired.

Over 150 workers from Seattle-area hotels will gather this afternoon in front of the Westin hotel to call for livable wages, job security, and respect on the job.

This summer, union contracts covering over 1,400 workers have expired.  The affected hotels and restaurants include the Westin, Edgewater, Seattle Hilton, Washington Athletic Club, Space Needle, SeaTac Hilton, and the Doubletree.

During the recession, hotels continued to remain profitable through a combination of layoffs, decreased work schedules and increased workloads for staff, burdening its low-wage workforce. According to the industry’s own projections, hotels will be returning to record profit levels by 2012.

“Hotel workers can sometimes seem invisible,” says Erik Van Rossum, Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 8, the union representing the workers in the campaign. “They create luxury in Seattle’s hotels by cleaning the rooms, washing the dishes, and cooking the food, among other thankless jobs. But now they are standing up with one voice to demand respect and fairness.”

LGBT Community Forum – June 28!

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LGBT Power + Union Power = EQUALITY!

Join Us for an LGBT Community Forum

Featuring renowned LGBT activist Cleve Jones!

TUESDAY, June 28th at 4:30pm

Kaladi Brothers Café ♦ 511 E Pike St.

LGBT travelers spend over $60 billion a year on business and recreational travel, and major hotel chains spend millions of dollars annually on advertising that specifically targets the gay market. Hear from activists and hotel workers directly about how you can “sleep with the right people” and not be fooled by the hype.

www.sleepwiththerightpeople.org

www.sleepwiththerightpeople.org

Sponsored by:

Seattle Gay News

Local 8 Members Speak Out Against Guest Misconduct

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June 6, 2011, Chris Thomas, Public News Service – WA

SEATTLE – Hotel housekeepers in Washington and several other states say it’s time to break the silence about what they claim is the routine sexual misconduct they face in their jobs. Their campaign comes in the wake of two high-profile alleged sexual assaults on housekeepers in New York City. Click here to continue reading and listen to the radio story

Housekeepers Across North America Speak Out Against Abuses at Work

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Breaking the Silence

When two housekeepers in New York came forward to report assault on the job, taking on some of the most powerful men in the world, they exposed some of the grittier and oftentimes hidden aspects of hotel work–the work of scrubbing toilets, changing sheets, and encountering guests alone behind closed doors. Hotel housekeepers–overwhelmingly women, immigrants, and people of color–are the invisible backbone of the hotel industry. While incidents of sexual assault are uncommon, the women who work as housekeepers routinely face a broader spectrum of dangers at work, from sexual harassment to the debilitating injuries that many women sustain after years of making beds and scrubbing floors. Read more…

Community Forum and New Report on Paid Sick Days in Seattle

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When you’re sick, staying home is the responsible thing to do. This is particularly true when you work in industries where you handle and serve food or provide health care services. But in Seattle, an estimated 190,000 workers don’t get paid sick days and therefore can’t afford to do the right thing and stay home. And sure enough, they tend to work in the restaurants, grocery stores, medical centers and other service-oriented jobs that involve interacting with the public. Read more…

Join us for a community forum on the need for paid sick days in Seattle. Invitations have been extended to members of the Seattle City Council and the mayor’s office.

Wednesday, May 11
5PM – 7PM
University Christian Church
4731 15th Ave NE, Seattle

For event details, click here.

New study shows benefits of paid sick days.

Food safety and public health top the list of benefits of ensuring people working in Seattle have paid sick leave – but according to a new report, it would also improve children’s health and school performance, and provide support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. There are economic benefits too: paid sick leave reduces business costs through reduced turnover and absences, and increases workplace productivity and morale.

The report, produced by the Economic Opportunity Institute, takes a look at the numbers behind the discussion about paid sick days. For a few highlights and do download the report, click here.

May Day Rally at the Seattle Hilton

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May 2, 2011

On the heels of an exciting community event last week, UNITE HERE! Local 8 members started to turn up the heat on hospitality employers in the streets of downtown Seattle. At a rally for immigrant and workers’ rights in front of the Seattle Hilton, hotel workers united with thousands of people demonstrating for immigrant and workers’ rights.

“We are workers, we are one,” was the message of unity and support for workers directed at the Hilton and other King County hospitality employers. Watch videos of the moment when the May Day march arrived at the Hilton. You can also find pictures of the rally here.