New York Times highlights Marriott’s hypocrisy

Marriott and other giant corporations promised last year to treat workers and communities better. But the New York Times ran an article today about how Coronavirus has revealed what these companies really think: “They just say: ‘We don’t need you. You are on your own,’” said William Gonzalez, a Local 2 member, in the article.  “All the executives, Sorenson and the others, they get paid millions every year, and we just get a few dollars,” Sonya Bautista – another Local 2 member – said in the article. “We give our soul to give our best for our company. I try hard to make the rooms beautiful for guests so they will come back. It’s not fair. Marriott doesn’t care about us.”

All around the US and Canada, UNITE HERE is pushing hospitality corporations like Marriott — which made billions in profits over the last ten years — to take care of the workers who’ve made them so successful.

ProPublica reports on UNITE HERE members

ProPublica.org published an article April 9th saying nearly one year after winning an historic contract impacts of the coronavirus have devastated hundreds of thousands of service jobs. Our union is calling on Marriott to step up. Click here to read the article.

SF to prioritize placing some homeless in hotels

The blog Mission Local reported that San Francisco is going to prioritize moving seniors who don’t have housing into hotel rooms. Local 2 continues to push city officials and community activists alike to remember that hotel workers — whether they have a union or not — deserve special protections when hotels are used for emergency situations. UNITE HERE supports housing the vulnerable, but is fighting to make sure that workers have the health care they need, and that they don’t get penalized for protecting themselves.

Local 2 is signing up workers for reopened hotels

As San Francisco signs up more hotels to provide shelter for vulnerable people during the coronavirus crisis, Local 2 has been working to make sure that hotel employees are properly protected and that they and their families receive good quality health care. This goes for all hotel workers – whether or not they are in a union hotel.  The union may call you in the coming days about this, but if you haven’t already, make sure you visit www.unitehere2.org/jobs to learn more and to sign up.

Chase Center workers press Warriors to do right by their food workers

When basketball season was cancelled, food workers at SF’s new basketball arena — like so many other hospitality workers — got left behind. For the last 3 weeks, they’ve been pushing to remind the Warriors that, without them, the Chase Center isn’t much of an Experience. Read more on KQED’s website.

Google cafeteria workers join Local 2

Welcome to the newest members of Local 2! Workers at Google’s employee cafeteria in San Bruno organized into the union last week — reminding us all that, no matter how hard things get, we can always work together to build a better tomorrow.

Compromise reached in Congress

The labor movement won some of its big demands in Congress, which passed a law that gives most workers up to $1200, plus an extra $600 per week in unemployment benefits if you are laid off (this will last four months). But Donald Trump and the Republicans gave corporations huge bailouts too, and stopped us from making sure workers keep their health care during layoffs. We’ll have more information here soon.

PBS News Hour interviewed Local 2 member Larrilou Carumba

Larrilou told the nationwide news show about how hard it is living with the fear of coronavirus but also about not knowing when we might get back to work.

Senators Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris ask people to help UNITE HERE

Both senators sent messages out to their supporters urging them to support UNITE HERE by donating to the union’s relief funds, which are being used to help the hardest hit people in our industries.

Congress debates a bill – our union fights to make sure workers get help

The US Congress is considering a new law that might help working families hurt by the coronavirus layoffs and cutbacks. The law passed the Senate yesterday, but the union is still fighting to make sure that the bill helps workers first. We want to make sure that workers can keep their health care secure, even if this crisis keeps going. We also want to make sure that if the government bails out corporations, that money has to go to workers and their families – not rich investors. Of course, Donald Trump has different ideas. Thanks to all the UNITE HERE members who called their congresspeople.