Airport Workers Stand Up to the Port of Seattle

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Airport concessions workers are turning up the heat for real job security. Local 8 members have begun meeting with Port of Seattle commissioners to discuss their future at the airport.

Airport workers have also taken action by circulating a petition to demand that the Port do the right thing and give us real job security. Without job retention being a part of all concessions lease agreements, a new company could do business in the airport and bring in a whole new group of workers. We are fighting to protect our jobs and the standards that we recently won in a great new contract.

If you are an airport worker and have not had a chance to sign the petition, please contact Cindy Richardson at 206-470-2982 and she will tell you who is circulating it in your unit.

Check out the January 2011 Local 8 Newsletter.

Judge rules against corporate effort to block minimum wage increase

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December 29, 2010, The Seattle Times

A Kittitas County judge Wednesday rejected a request to halt a 12-cent increase to the state’s minimum wage that takes effect this weekend.

Superior Court Judge Scott Sparks ruled against the summary judgment request made by a coalition of business groups that sued the state last month over the decision to raise the minimum wage to $8.67 an hour.

The groups opposed to the increase argue that the minimum wage can’t be increased in 2011 because this year’s Consumer Price Index did not reflect a net increase in the cost of living since 2008. A voter initiative ties the state’s minimum wage to the index.

The coalition opposed to the increase includes the Washington Farm Bureau, the Washington Restaurant Association and the Washington Retail Association.

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Seattle Arctic Club Workers Ratify First Contract

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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. Read more

COMMUNITY BRIEFING: Red Lion Hotel Seattle Airport Negotiations, Thursday, December 16, 12pm

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Support Workers’ Fight for Job Security Protections

Join UNITE HERE! Local 8 and our members at the Red Lion Hotel Seattle Airport for a “Happy Holidays to ALL” community briefing on Thursday, December 16th at 12:00 pm in front of the Red Lion.  We will update our allies on the Red Lion workers’ fight for job security protections after more than six months of negotiations. Read more

Largest Rally in Recent Tacoma History

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On August 10th, Local 8 members and over 200 labor activists and community leaders held one of the largest hotel worker rallies in recent Tacoma history. The exciting rally took place at Tollefson Plaza, located next to the Tacoma Courtyard Marriott. The labor community made it clear that the non-union Marriott, as well as other Tacoma hotels, need to stop paying low wages, providing unaffordable health benefits, and using the economy as an excuse to pressure workers to do more for less.

A group of community delegates entered the hotel lobby and presented a “Downtown Tacoma Hotel Workers Bill of Rights” to management, an opportunity to commit to providing their employees fair wages, affordable health insurance, and a voice on the job (click here to sign the online petition). Not surprisingly, the Hollander family, who owns the Marriott, refused to make this commitment to their workers and to the Tacoma community. On the other hand, the nearby Hotel Murano made the commitment to the “Downtown Tacoma Hotel Workers’ Bill of Rights.”

Despite receiving public subsidies to build their hotel, the Hollanders have been unwilling to provide their employees with living wage jobs pursuant to the bill of rights. After giving the Hollanders several opportunities to do the right thing, we have launched a “Do Not Patronize” campaign at the Tacoma Courtyard Marriott. We are urging Tacoma City Council to support the workers as well as their community. After all, hotel workers who earn good wages and benefits have more money to spend locally!

Check out the January 2011 Local 8 Newsletter.

Erik Van Rossum is UNITE HERE Local 8’s new Secretary Treasurer and Principal Officer

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June 9, 2010

Erik Van Rossum was confirmed at Local 8’s general membership meeting as the new Principal Officer of UNITE HERE Local 8. Erik succeeds Rick Sawyer, who has accepted the position of UNITE HERE Northwest Director.

“I am excited to continue building a fighting union that challenges the disrespect, low wages, lack of benefits, and difficult working conditions that are too common in our industries,” Van Rossum said.

UNITE HERE Local 8’s top priority is organizing in the hotel and food service industries. “The corporations we deal with have continued to make money while workers suffer in this economy. It is time to reverse this trend and bring accountability to the hospitality industry in the Northwest. I am very thrilled to be part of this fight,” he added.

In addition, Rick Sawyer’s promotion to the newly created position of Northwest Director brings increased focus by our international union to the region, strengthening Local 8’s position entering the important upcoming contract and organizing campaigns in 2010 and 2011.