DC Hotel Workers And Management Reach Tentative Agreement
Friday, January 14, 2005(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
"We got what we needed AND what we wanted," says worker.
Hotel workers won a tentative contract tonight after more than five
months of negotiations. Hundreds of members participated in today's negotiations
with the Hotel Association, and were present when the tentative agreement was
reached. The room exploded with excitement and joy.
The hotel worker's
union, UNITE HERE Local 25, had set a deadline of tomorrow to reach an agreement
or take further action, up to and including a strike. That action will now
be held until the workers vote on whether to accept or reject the
settlement. Members will vote to ratify the contract early next week.
"This is amazing. We did this. By being strong, and sticking
together, we got what we needed AND what we wanted," said Delores Peoples, a
switchboard operator at Loew's L'Enfant Plaza. "Our members proved again and
again that they were both ready to reach an agreement, and ready to strike if
they had to," said John Boardman, Executive Secretary Treasurer UNITE HERE Local
25. "Because of that resolve, we have made a huge leap forward for hotel workers
in the District. This is my proudest moment. This is the best settlement
ever in the history of Local 25."
The tentative agreement ensures that
there will be no work interruptions and the hotels will be able to proceed with
all guest services for inauguration week as planned. The contract language
includes new protections from workload increases, harassment at the workplace
and other problems workers sought to improve. The economic package
improves wages, pension contributions and maintains a strong health care
package. Details will be released after members have read and voted on the
contract.
UNITE HERE Local 25 represents nearly 5,000 hotel workers in
the Washington DC area. UNITE HERE is the merged union of hospitality,
gaming, apparel, textile and laundry workers. The new union represents nearly
half a million workers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.