2024 Local 2 Membership Meeting Schedule:
Workers at the Chinese state-owned BEI Hotel San Francisco say they suffered diarrhea, stomach pain, and other symptoms of food poisoning after the hotel unilaterally laid off its cooks and outsourced cafeteria meals. The BEI is a 400-room hotel owned by the Beijing Tourism Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise managed by a subsidiary of the government of Beijing.
Workers launched a five-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike to protest the hotel’s unilateral outsourcing of food and beverage operations from November 13, 2023 – November 17, 2023. Picket lines ran daily from 6am to 10pm.
BEI Hotel workers say they attempted to address the outsourcing of cafeteria food through meetings, petitions, and mediation before deciding on a strike. UNITE HERE Local 2 has filed unfair labor practices charges with the National Labor Relations Board protesting the BEI Hotel’s unilateral elimination of union jobs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, November 13, 2023
Contact: Ted Waechter [email protected]
Workers at Chinese State-Owned Hotel in San Francisco Strike After Outsourced Employee Meals Make Workers Sick
BEI Hotel Workers Launch Unfair Labor Practice Strike as APEC Arrives in San Francisco; Union Says Strike Illustrates Dangers of Globalization
San Francisco, Calif. — Seventy workers with the UNITE HERE Local 2 union are on strike at the BEI Hotel San Francisco, a Chinese state-owned hotel where workers say they suffered food poisoning after the hotel unilaterally laid off its cooks and outsourced cafeteria meals. The BEI is a 400-room hotel owned by the Beijing Tourism Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise managed by a subsidiary of the government of Beijing. Pictures of food served in the BEI Hotel employee cafeteria are available here.
The Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike concerns the hotel’s unilateral outsourcing of food and beverage operations. The union says that at least four workers have suffered diarrhea, stomach pain, or other symptoms of food poisoning since the hotel unilaterally laid off its cooks and outsourced cafeteria meals in May of 2023. The limited-duration strike will last five days, and picket lines will run from 6am to 10pm daily outside the hotel on 8th St. and Market St.
“I’m on strike because I recently worked two back-to-back shifts and during the entire 16 hours, I did not eat the cafeteria food because I was worried it would make me sick,” said Nida Remigio, a telephone operator at the BEI Hotel San Francisco for 16 years. “Employee meals at the BEI Hotel sometimes sit out for hours without time or temperature control. The food is often cold or covered in oil, and I have even found undercooked meat.”
The strike occurs during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, which promotes business interests in the Pacific Rim. The union says that the BEI Hotel’s mistreatment of its workers illustrates the dangers of globalization.
“The Chinese state-owned enterprise that controls the BEI Hotel isn’t giving San Francisco workers a better life. Instead, the hotel unilaterally terminated its in-house cooks and served outsourced cafeteria food that made workers sick,” said Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2. “We need an economy that benefits the world’s housekeepers, cooks, and dishwashers – not just the CEOs.”
BEI Hotel workers – including housekeepers, servers, bartenders, cooks, and dishwashers – say they have attempted to address the outsourcing of cafeteria food through meetings, petitions, and mediation before deciding on a strike. UNITE HERE Local 2 has filed unfair labor practices charges with the National Labor Relations Board protesting the BEI Hotel’s unilateral elimination of union jobs.
The ULP strike over the outsourcing of food and beverage operations comes as the hotel and the union are engaged in protracted negotiations over other issues. Workers at the BEI Hotel have not received a raise in six years. Every other major union hotel in San Francisco agreed to two consecutive contract agreements in 2018 and 2022, and the BEI is the only one that has refused to sign. Hotel management and the union have met regularly for negotiations, but the hotel demanded concessions including job cuts and outsourcing.
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UNITE HERE Local 2 is the hospitality workers’ union in the San Francisco Bay Area, representing over 15,000 workers in hotels, restaurants, food services, Oakland International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and more.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Contact: Ted Waechter [email protected]
San Francisco Hotel Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Strike After Outsourced Cafeteria Food Makes Workers Sick
96.4% Vote Means BEI Hotel Workers Could Launch Unfair Labor Practice Strike
San Francisco, Calif. — Workers at the BEI Hotel San Francisco have voted by 96.4% to authorize a strike after years of negotiations with the UNITE HERE Local 2 union and what the union claims is unilateral outsourcing of food and beverage operations. The union says that workers have suffered diarrhea, stomach pain, or other symptoms of food poisoning since the hotel unilaterally laid off its cooks and outsourced cafeteria meals in May of 2023. A strike could be called at any time.
Photo and B-roll of the vote is available for secure download here.
The BEI Hotel is owned by the Beijing Tourism Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise managed by a subsidiary of the government of Beijing. It is a 400-room hotel located on 8th St. and Market St. in San Francisco and employs seventy workers, including housekeepers, banquet servers and bartenders, cooks, dishwashers, and more.
“I voted yes to strike because the hotel is giving us food that is not safe to eat,” said Amy Liu, a housekeeper at the BEI Hotel San Francisco for 16 years. “The BEI Hotel was wrong to lay off union cooks and serve us unsafe meals in the cafeteria. I work so hard cleaning rooms every day, and I deserve to be treated with respect.”
“I voted yes to strike because I want to go back to work and cook for my coworkers so they can eat healthy food,” said Isaias Galvez, a cook at the BEI Hotel San Francisco for thirty years. “After thirty years the hotel laid me off without negotiating with the union. They decided to bring outsourced food to the cafeteria for my coworkers. Now my coworkers tell me the food is cold, greasy, unsafe to eat, and that people have gotten sick from it. That is not right.”
“San Francisco’s tourism industry can’t recover without housekeepers, dishwashers, cooks, and servers who do difficult and painful jobs, but the BEI Hotel can’t even be bothered to give them cafeteria food that’s safe to eat,” said Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2. “The BEI Hotel’s unfair elimination of in-house cooks hurts all BEI Hotel workers — those who were laid off and those who have gotten sick from outsourced cafeteria food.”
The workers say they have attempted to address the outsourcing of cafeteria food through meetings, negotiations, petitions, and mediation before deciding to take a strike vote. UNITE HERE Local 2 has filed unfair labor practices (ULP) charges with the National Labor Relations Board protesting the BEI Hotel’s unilateral elimination of union jobs.
The possible ULP strike over the outsourcing of food and beverage operations comes as the hotel and the union are engaged in protracted negotiations over other issues. Workers at the BEI Hotel have not received a raise in six years. Every other only major union hotel in San Francisco agreed to two consecutive contract agreements in 2018 and 2022; the BEI is the only one that has refused. Hotel management and the union have met regularly for negotiations, but the hotel has demanded concessions including job cuts and outsourcing.
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UNITE HERE Local 2 is the hospitality workers’ union in the San Francisco Bay Area, representing over 15,000 workers in hotels, restaurants, food services, Oakland International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and more.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, October 2, 2023
Contact: Ted Waechter [email protected]
Golden State Warriors’ Food Service Workers Win $7/Hour Wage Increases, Affordable Health Care, and More
“Best Contract in the NBA” for Nearly 650 Chase Center Workers, Union Says
San Francisco, California – Food service workers at Chase Center voted by 96.4% to ratify their first union contract on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. The contract provides workers, who are members of the UNITE HERE Local 2 union and employed by Warriors’ food service contractor Bon Appetit, with significant wage increases and a pathway to attain year-round health care. The union says the contract is the best for any food service workers in the NBA.
The contract includes:
The new Chase Center contract matches the standard set by concessions workers at Oracle Park, who averted a near-strike in 2021 to win their contract. Both contracts focused on reducing insurance eligibility thresholds, so workers with a seasonal job at each location will now be able to maintain year-round health care coverage.
“I’m overwhelmed with excitement about the overall contract. If we work five days a month, we are entitled to the benefits, including pension and health care, and that’s phenomenal! I take medicine every day, so I need my health care,” said Rhonda Mitchell, a stand lead with Bon Appetit at Chase Center. “I love my job because it exposes me to different cultures through the people I work with and the food I serve, and now I can go to work without worrying about getting the health care I need.”
“The Warriors are the most valuable team in the NBA, and this is a contract worthy of their stature – the best for any concessions workers in the league,” said Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2. “Food service workers with Bon Appetit at Chase Center stuck together, and their time and effort paid off. This agreement establishes genuinely good, family-sustaining jobs so the community can share in the Warriors’ success.”
A negotiating committee led by union members with UNITE HERE Local 2 negotiated with representatives of Bon Appetit for two years before coming to an agreement. The contract covers 650 workers, including concessions cashiers, bartenders, servers, cooks, dishwashers, runners, butlers, warehouse attendants and more. It will be in place until July 1, 2025.
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UNITE HERE Local 2 is the hospitality workers’ union in San Francisco and Bay Area representing 15,000+ workers in hotels, restaurants, food services, Oakland International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and more.
San Francisco is suing Qwick, a staffing company in restaurants and hotels, for denying workers of minimum wages and other benefits. If you or anyone you know has relevant experiences with Qwick, call the City Attorney at (415) 355-3268 or email [email protected].
Statement from Anand Singh, President of UNITE HERE Local 2: “Hospitality workers perform incredibly difficult work and provide services that millions of Californians rely on. Qwick’s workers are entitled to the same protections, wages, and benefits as their peers employed at hotels and restaurants. We appreciate the work of the City Attorney’s Office to root out worker misclassification before this business model can take hold in the hospitality industry.”
Free one-on-one college counseling and a pathway to game-changing college support for high school juniors. Apply online at scholarmatch.org/students/sf/ before Aug. 31.
免费的1对1大学辅导和一个新规则的大学支持途径。高中11年级学生可在scholarmatch.org/students/sf/网站上申请。 申请的截止日期为8月31日。
Asesoramiento gratuito y un camino para recibir apoyo que cambiará su experiencia en la universidad. Los estudiantes del tercer año de la high school entregan sus solicitudes en línea en el scholarmatch.org/students/sf/. La fecha límite para entregar la solicitud es el31 de agosto.
March with Local 2 in the SF Pride Parade to show that our union will never let hate divide us! Meet at 9:30am on Sunday June 25 at Steuart St. between Mission and Howard. Happy Pride!
Applications will open soon for the Local 2 Child & Elder Care Plan. Parents may receive financial reimbursement for childcare and youth programs. College-bound teens can receive a coach to assist with college admissions. For those with elderly or disabled relatives, the Plan offers financial reimbursement for caregiving in addition to personalized counseling and referrals to providers and services. Questions? We welcome visitors on Monday and Wednesday from 8:30am to 4:45pm. Call: 415.864.0506 or email: [email protected] anytime.
2 号工会的儿童和老人护理计划的申请即将开放。 父母可获得用于托儿服务和青少年计划的福利回 款。即将进入大学的青少年可以获得一名教练, 意在协助学生进行大学入学考试。对于家中有 年老或残障亲属的会员,本计划除了会报销护理 服务费以外,亦会提供个性化咨询和转介合适服 务提供者的选项。
Las solicitudes se abrirán pronto para el Plan de Cuidado de Niños y Ancianos del Local 2. Los padres pueden recibir un reembolso económico por el cuidado de los hijos y los programas juveniles. Los adolescentes pueden recibir ayuda de un asesor para ingresar a la universidad. Para quienes tienen familiares ancianos o discapacitados, el Plan ofrece reembolso económico por cuidados, además de asesoramiento personalizado y referencias a proveedores y servicios.
NOTICE: Scheduled membership meeting on Wednesday June 14th, 2023 will be at the Oakland Marriott City Center Hotel at 4:30 pm.
Location: 1001 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607