VOTE for Ferdinand Ramos, Hotel Worker for City Council NOVEMBER 15

Ferdinand Ramos and Mable Elmore.

Hotel Worker, Ferdinand Ramos and MLA Mable Elmore.

Ferdinand Ramos just received another endorsement from a prominent elected leader in Vancouver! Vancouver-Kensington MLA, Mable Elmore, has endorsed Ferdinand’s campaign for Vancouver City Council. In endorsing Ferdinand’s campaign, Mable said the following:

“Ferdinand is a proven leader in the hospitality industry. His campaign is already making a difference in the lives of thousands of tourism workers by securing a 15% transit discount for employees in the Hyatt Regency, Four Seasons, Westin Bayshore, Renaissance and Sutton Hotels. I support Ferdinand Ramos for Vancouver City Council. Vote for Ferdinand Ramos. Let’s make sure Vancouver works for everyone!”

If you live in Vancouver, vote TOMORROW for Ferdinand Ramos, Hotel Workers United, City Council, Geoff Meggs, Vision Vancouver, City Council, Gregor Robertson, Vision Vancouver Mayor and Sammy Jo Rumbaua, Vision Vancouver, Park Board.

If you live in Surrey, Ferdinand and Mable urge you to vote for Narima Dela Cruz for Surrey City Council.

Mable Narima

 

Rank and File interviews Irene Lanzinger on her run for President of the BC Federation of Labour

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Photo of Irene Lanzinger courtesy of Rank and File

UNITE HERE Local 40 has endorsed Irene Lanzinger for President of the BC Federation of Labour.  Check out Irene’s interview in the current issue of Rank and File.

For more information on Irene Lanzinger’s campaign, visit IreneLanzinger.ca or follow Irene on Twitter @ilanzinger 

UNITE HERE Local 40 endorses Irene Lanzinger for BC Federation of Labour President

UNITE HERE Local 40 is proud to endorse Irene Lanzinger for President of the BC Federation of Labour. Irene is a proven labour leader, with vast experience as Chief Negotiator and President of the BC Teachers Federation. She is currently the Secretary-Treasurer of the BC Federation of Labour.

Irene Lanzinger“The first time I met Irene I knew she was a real fighter,” said Robert Demand, President of UNITE HERE Local 40. “Our members at the Delta Hotel in Richmond were locked in tough contract negotiations and they had asked other unions for support. Irene, as President of the BC Teachers Federation, was the first to jump into action. She was decisive and tough. Irene went to the hotel and made it clear to management that either they settle a fair contract now or the Teachers Federation would cancel all future business. The hotel settled and the workers at the Delta won UNITE HERE’s  Vancouver hotel standard. Irene understood the fight then and she knows the challenges working people face now. We need Irene Lanzinger as President of the BC Federation of Labour.”

For more information on Irene’s campaign, visit irenelanzinger.ca or contact Phillip Legg at 604-788-2877

 

Notice: 2014 Dues Amendment for Camp Workers’ Dues

As per Article XII, of the UNITE HERE Local 40 Bylaws, this is a first reading, at the June 30, 2014 General Membership Meeting, of a proposed amendment to the Local’s Bylaws to increase dues rate and initiation fee for BC Camp Workers.

The following amendment is to update the Local’s dues & initiation fee structure to be similar to the dues & initiation fee structure currently used by UNITE HERE! in camps in Alberta.

Camp Workers currently employed will continue to pay the existing dues rates while working on their existing jobs; if and when they move to a new job site, after November 1, 2014, they would pay the new Camp Workers dues rate in new Section 2. Existing Camp Workers, hired prior to November 1, 2014, will be exempt from paying the new initiation fee in new Section 1.

The UNITE HERE! Local 40 Executive Board proposes the following By-law amendment:

Effective November 1, 2014 modify UNITE HERE Local 40 By-Laws, Article XI – Finances;

a) Section 1 – Initiation Fees to Camp Workers to $350.00 initiation

b) Section 2 – Monthly Dues, create a new subsection 2(b) – Camp Workers’ Dues Rate:

“All new Camp Employees hired on or after November 1, 2014, or for existing Camp Workers hired onto a new job site, shall pay monthly dues based on two (2%) percent of their monthly gross earnings plus the cost of current per capita.

For an unemployed Camp Worker, that wants to remain on the dispatch list, their monthly dues shall be equal to the minimum dues rate (for a Local 40 member working less than eighty (80) hours a month in subsection 2(a) )”.

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. All proposed amendments to these bylaws must be in writing, proposed by the Executive Board or signed by 200 members in good standing with the Local and read at two consecutive meetings and voted upon at the second meeting. After the first reading, the proposed amendment must be posted on the bulletin board until final action. A two-thirds majority vote of members present at the second meeting shall be required to adopt an amendment. No amendment shall become effective until approved by the General President.

Section 2. The procedure outlined in Section 1 above shall be fully applicable to amendments providing for an increase in dues or initiation fees, except it shall require a majority vote by secret ballot on such second meeting day after reasonable written notice of intent to vote on the increase is given to the membership. The amendment, as set forth in the notice, is not subject to change after the notice is sent.

Section 3. Rules of order or order of business may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership present.

ARTICLE XI

FINANCES

Section 1. Initiation Fees. The initiation fee of the Local Union shall be in accordance with the following schedule:

Effective

January 1, 2002

Licensed Premises

Employees $68.00

Camp Workers $350.00

All Others $33.00

Section 2. Monthly dues. The monthly dues of this Local Union shall be in accordance with the following schedule, subject to the provisions of Article 17, Section 1 of the International Constitution.

Effective July 1, 2009

All Employees Employed 80 or more hours per month – 2 x hourly rate plus $16.00

Effective July 1, 2009

All Employees Employed less than 80 hours per month $31.40

(b) Camp Workers – Effective November 1, 2014

All new Camp Employees hired on or after November 1, 2014, or for existing Camp Workers hired onto a new job site, shall pay monthly dues based on two (2%) percent of their monthly gross earnings plus the cost of current per capita.

For an unemployed Camp Worker, that wants to remain on the dispatch list, their monthly dues shall be equal to the minimum dues rate (for a Local 40 member working less than eighty (80) hours a month in subsection 2(a) )”.

Dues are payable on the first day of each month.

Section 3. Members in good standing, unable to work because of illness, shall receive a dues stamp each month cancelled “sick” as a loan from the Local Union. Such loan shall be repaid at the rate of one sick stamp per month when the member returns to employment. Members requesting a sick stamp loan from the Local Union shall submit a doctor’s certificate, certifying that the member is sick and cannot work. The limit that sick stamps will be issued in any one calendar year is six months. The time limit in cases of emergency may be extended upon recommendation of the Executive Board and approval of the membership but in no event will the time limit be extended to a period beyond 12 months.

Section 4. Any member being two calendar months in arrears for the payment of any dues, assessments or fines shall be considered automatically suspended. The provisions of Article X of these bylaws shall not apply to such suspension.

Section 5. Reinstatement to membership in this Local Union shall be made in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article XIV, Sections 4 and 5, Article XVIII, Sections 6 and 7, and Article XXIV, Section 10 of the International Constitution.

Section 6. It shall be mandatory on members of this Local to deposit their travelling card with the Local Union having jurisdiction before accepting employment. Any member violating the foregoing provision is subject to the provisions of Article 14 of the International Constitution.

(For a PDF version, go to: 2014_Dues_Amendment_for_Camp_Workers_Dues.)

HMS Host Workers at YVR Raise Standards in New Contract

Over 500 HMS Host workers won a major victory when they ratified a new 3 1/2 year agreement on May 9. The new agreement provides workers with significant wage increases of up to $2.00/hour, expands eligibility for medical benefits, and lowers the cost of medical coverage for workers and their families. This agreement will establish a first-time pension benefit for over 400 workers and improve pension contributions for the others.

Workers also secured additional rights that will improve scheduling, maximize hours, and provide greater job security.

The agreement follows a recent worker march through Vancouver Airport to demand a fair contract.

In 2010, during the last negotiations at YVR, Host workers launched a strike and then faced a 5-day lockout. Coming out of that fight, Local 40 successfully organized more than 300 new members at Starbucks, Burger King, Jamba Juice and other YVR locations.

With the leadership of the Union committee, Host members and Local 40 won a great contract that raises standards for hundreds of families in Vancouver!