Archive for category: News

HMS Host food service workers at Vancouver Airport ratify new contract!

slide4Vancouver International Airport (YVR) Host union members ratified a new three-year agreement which merges two separate contracts into one agreement. The new contract includes wage increases, stronger seniority and working hours language, and real coveted job security for the 200-plus airport concessions, retail and warehouse workers. A strong union committee in in sync with both local and international union coordination paved a way to a historic contract.

Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel workers ratify new contract by 96%, make big gains!

doc_51Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel workers won big improvements to their contract today, ratifying an agreement that achieves the new Vancouver hotel contract standard. Housekeeping workload relief, significant pension contribution increases, protected medical benefits, wage increases, improved union rights and more are part of the new contract.

Housekeeping workload improvements include more room drops for double-doubles and check-outs.

Better leave-of-absence language in the new contract makes it easier for Delta hotel workers to participate in organizer trainings as Local 40 focuses on new organizing.

Delta workers also won the ability to lower the numbers of hours worked to qualify for medical benefits.

Downtown Vancouver hotel workers led the fight for a new contract standard in full-service hotels. After a year of action, including demonstrations, rallies, delegations and a boycott at the Hyatt Regency, Local 40 members won a new contract that is charting a path for other hotel workers in the Vancouver Metro area.

Hilton Metrotown bargaining is up next. Stay tuned for updates.

Historic Hotel Georgia set to re-open

After more than a 4-year shut down, the historic Hotel Georgia is scheduled to re-open in early May and UNITE HERE! Local 40 is working hard to return long-time Union members to the hotel.

If you worked at the Hotel Georgia prior to the shut down and wish to return to the hotel–which will be operated by Rosewood Hotels and will require training to meet their very demanding level of guest service–you must first meet the following eligibility requirements and then notify the Union in writing by March 9, 2011 that you wish to return.

To be eligible for recall to the hotel you must meet 3 conditions:

(a)    You were actively employed at the Hotel Georgia through December 31, 2006;

(b)    You accepted a layoff from the hotel on January 1, 2007 and did not accept severance pay

If your answer was “Yes” to (a) & (b) and you wish to return to the new Hotel Georgia, you must notify the Union in writing by no later than March 9, 2011.

To notify the Union of your desire to be recalled to work, please provide Local 40 with your name, previous job classification, home address, email address and phone number.  You can fax this information to the Union at (604) 291-2676 or contact Jim Pearson at (604) 473-4830

Coast Discovery Inn settles contract

Local 40 members at the Coast Discovery Inn in Campbell River have a new contract that achieves UNITE HERE’s provincial hotel standard.

The new Discovery Inn contract increases funding for the pension, improves dental, vision and prescription benefits, increases wages and protects gratuities for banquet workers. Housekeepers will also see a reduction in workload.

Thank you to the BC Teachers Federation, USW, CAW, Firefighters and Courtney/Campbell River Labour Council for supporting us during the contract campaign.

Congratulations to Local 40 members at the Discovery Inn!

Westin’s “Green Choice” is Bad for the Environment, Bad for Workers

Green or Greed?

The Westin Bayshore Hotel recently instituted the “Make a Green Choice” program, encouraging guests to refuse housekeeping services by rewarding them with a $5 coupon for each day they refuse service.

Westin Bayshore says this is “green.” Westin Bayshore housekeepers say its “greed.”

Real Green or Fake Green?

“After 3 or 4 days of no service, we find mounds of dirty linens, towels, filthy bathrooms, garbage and spoiled food left behind in the rooms which require almost an hour to clean. But we have limited time. We end up using more chemicals, more water, more energy. We’re not saving anything at all for the environment.”  –Noy Paguio, Room Attendant, Westin Bayshore

Dirtier rooms? More time needed to clean? More chemicals used? What’s green about that?

“Green Choice” is Bad for the Environment

“Green Choice” is misleading. Many hotel guests who are genuinely concerned about the environment would likely go to another hotel if they knew the truth about “Green Choice.”

“Green Choice” is unverifiable. When asked by The Province about “Green Choice” in July, the Westin Bayshore was unable to provide any data about the program’s energy savings at the Bayshore (“Vancouver hotel’s ‘Green’ program takes toll on housekeeping staff,” The Province, 7/4/10).

“Green Choice” Hurts Women

“A real green program helps the environment and doesn’t hurt people. Westin had a program so guests could choose not to have linens and towels changed. This program saved more water and energy than “Green Choice” and didn’t hurt us.”    —Pamela Moroni, Room Attendant, Westin Bayshore

The more guests use the “Green Choice” coupon on a given day, the more housekeepers are cut from that day’s work schedule. For every 15 “Green Choice” cards used by guests, one room attendant is told not to report to work–even though she was already on the schedule.

Dirtier rooms left by guests who refuse housekeeping services, create heavier workloads for housekeepers.  And as housekeepers lose control of their schedules, physical and economic stress increases.

Westin Makes a Mockery of Green Initiatives

Westin Bayshore is using the “green” label to cut jobs, hurting immigrant working women who comprise the overwhelming majority of hotel housekeepers in Vancouver. At the same time, Westin is misleading guests about the benefits of “Green Choice.” Its time to stop the nonsense.

Its Time to Stop “Green Choice!”