Join the San Francisco Labor Council, SEIU Local 87, and UNITE HERE Local 2 to reclaim Labor Day for workers. We’ll have a march and car caravan to fight back against local corporate villains at Marriott’s St. Regis hotel, Lyft corporate headquarters, and the SF Giants’ Oracle Park.
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“It’s devastating. I [used to work] three jobs and [now they’re all] gone,” said Connie Sarmiento, a cashier at Oracle Park. “They’re billionaires,” she said of the Giants. “This is the right time to show their support for us, go back on the table, negotiate with the Local 2, and try to deal with this pandemic.”
“Many of these workers who have spent decades providing service to this team are being told, ‘Good luck, hopefully we see you next year, good luck paying rent, good luck securing health care in a global pandemic.’ We find that unacceptable,” said Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2. “We think these workers deserve better and the Giants have the power and the means to do better.”
Hundreds of us came to last week’s protest – but that was just the beginning. After our protest, the Giants’ food service subcontractor Bon Appetit sent workers an important email:
“We apologize for the previous communication terminating your employment at the ballpark. This letter rescinds our July 27 email communication to you regarding your employment status at Oracle Park and confirms that you remain an existing employee on temporary lay off status.”
This is a big win, but it’s not enough for Oracle Park workers who are struggling to feed their families! We won’t let the Giants abandon ballpark workers while they continue to make millions during COVID-19. Join us for a social-distanced picket and car caravan before the Giants vs. Dodgers game on Tuesday at 5:30PM.
Click here for full info on Facebook event page!
Friday, Aug. 14 at 6PM!
Baseball is back, but the Giants are leaving stadium workers behind. We’re planning a BIG action – join us for a SOCIAL DISTANCE PICKET or CAR CARAVAN before the Giants vs. A’s game on Friday Aug. 14 at 6PM.
We have served Giant’s fans loyally for many years, and now we’re struggling to make ends meet. The Giants continue to make millions during the pandemic, but the team and their subcontractor Bon Appetit refuse to share with the workers! We need every company to understand that they have to support workers during this pandemic.
Click here for more details and RSVP on Facebook event page.
The MLB has started its COVID-19 season, but billionaire owners are leaving stadium workers out in the cold. We refuse to be left behind after all our years serving Giants fans – Oracle Park workers are going to fight back! Read more about our fight in The Nation.
Core Committee Leaders met on Monday July 27, 2020 and adopted the Executive Board’s recommendation to allocate money for pension and wages from the $1.45 per hour increase that we are receiving this year per the class A San Francisco hotel’s contract.
The money will be distributed as follows: 46 cents goes to our pension and the rest goes to our wages, which will mean a $1.10 per hour raise for non-tipped workers and a 55 cent per hour raise for tipped workers.
With this allocation we’re sending a message to the industry that the pension will be a priority in our next negotiations, and that we expect management to step up and cover our medical benefits beyond October.
We demand that Gate Gourmet use the government CARES Act money to recall and pay laid off workers immediately. While the government is awarding the company over millions dollars, hundreds of us Gate Gourmet workers will not survive and may be financially ruined! The company’s intention to recall only 35% of the workforce through September is appalling especially as their main competitor recall much more! Please do the right thing by recalling us back to work and use that CARES Act money to honor our loyalty and save our families.
After Disastrous Reopenings in Las Vegas and Florida, UNITE HERE Local 2 Says San Francisco is National Leader on Requiring Hotels to Prioritize Cleaning Over Profits
SAN FRANCISCO – UNITE HERE Local 2, the hotel workers’ union, today praised the Board of Supervisors’ leadership in setting the country’s strongest cleaning and safety standards for hotel reopening. The Healthy Buildings Ordinance – which requires cleaning and safety measures recommended by the World Health Organization, including daily room cleaning – passed unanimously. The union had said that San Francisco should not let hotels reopen without strong COVID-19 safety standards, warning that while shortcuts could pad hotel profits, they would endanger workers’ safety and San Francisco’s reputation as a safe place to visit.
“By setting the country’s strongest standards for hotel reopening, San Francisco has positioned itself as the top destination for travelers concerned with cleaning and safety after COVID-19,” said Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2. “It’s no secret that hotel companies could save millions by avoiding the World Health Organization’s guidelines, and when hotels were allowed to set their own reopening standards in Las Vegas and Florida, they actually reduced cleaning services, public health guidance went unenforced, and case rates soared. By requiring hotels to prioritize cleaning over profit, San Francisco is taking leadership to protect hotel workers and rebuild travelers’ trust that our city is the cleanest, safest place to visit.”
The Board of Supervisors’ Healthy Buildings Ordinance will adopt recommendations from the World Health Organization and others for deeper, more frequent cleaning in tourist hotels – including daily room cleaning – and forbid retaliation against workers who speak out about unsafe conditions. This emergency ordinance will go into effect on July 17 and be in effect for 60 days; passage is expected of an ordinance to make these cleaning and safety standards permanent. The Healthy Buildings Ordinance also sets safety standards for office buildings and is supported by SEIU Local 87, the janitors’ union.
“As housekeepers, we know that the right way to reopen the hotel is to clean more, not less,” said Joanne Liu, a housekeeper at Marriott’s St. Regis hotel and a member of UNITE HERE Local 2 who has been out of work since mid-March. “My family has no savings in the bank, so of course I want to go back to work, but I want to go back to work in a safe way. After COVID-19, I wouldn’t feel safe to let a room go days without disinfection before I clean it. My coworkers and I fought for strong cleaning and safety standards so we can protect our health and provide for our families.”
UNITE HERE Local 2 represents 14,000 hospitality workers in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, including nearly 9,000 hotel workers. Ninety-five percent of members are unemployed due to COVID-19.
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UNITE HERE Local 2 is the hospitality workers’ union and represents 14,000 members working in the hotel, food service, and airport industries in San Francisco and San Mateo counties, including 9,000 hotel workers. Learn more on Twitter @UniteHereLocal2 or at unitehere2.org.
Media Contact: Ted Waechter / [email protected]