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.