UNITE HERE Locals in the U.S. and Canada once again joined the IUF in their annual Hotel Housekeepers Global Week of Action to demand safer working conditions and dignity for housekeepers worldwide.
Continue scrolling to see highlights from actions in Chicago, San Francisco, Hawaii, Seattle, Boston, San Diego, Vancouver, Toronto and Northern Illinois!
With this year's Week of Action falling during the U.S. Presidential Election, we had the opportunity to focus on an important theme: Dignity For Women.
The theme of demanding basic dignity and respect for housekeepers is ongoing in UNITE HERE's efforts, which focuses on a range of issues from shining a light on sexual harassment and demanding ergonomic cleaning equipment.
Additionally, this broad theme includes challenging of “green programs” at hotels. Under the guise of "helping the environment," these programs are actually a cost-cutting measure for hotels, and force housekeepers to do more work in the same amount of time, resulting in a strenuous, impractical workload and more workplace injuries.
UNITE HERE Local 1 - Chicago
Hands Off Pants On: Sexual Harassment in Chicago’s Hospitality Industry
UNITE HERE Local 1 in Chicago pioneered a survey tool to gain a better understanding of the extent to which women in Chicago’s hospitality industry experience sexual harassment from guests. Read the report for the full survey findings.
VIDEO: These union men were handed a sheet of paper with a real story in the real words of a woman...and told to read it.
UNITE HERE Local 2 - San Francisco
On November 3, room cleaners had a great action at the Marriott 4th Street San Francisco. Over 120 members -- from different departments, but mostly housekeepers -- were present.
UNITE HERE Local 5 - Hawaii
On November 5, housekeepers with UNITE HERE Local 5 from Waikiki visited a hotel on the north shore of the Island (Turtle Bay Resort) to participate in a cafeteria action to fight the recent implementation of go-green.
UNITE HERE Local 8 - Seattle
On Election Day, Seattle voters approved I-124 to help keep the city’s hotel housekeepers safe and healthy. UNITE HERE Local 8 members had a huge part in helping make that happen!
Seattle voters pass hotel-workers measure: Read story on I-124's passing in Seattle.
Initiative 124 would require hotels to provide housekeepers with panic buttons, track guests accused of harassment, limit housekeeper workloads, help thousands of low-wage employees pay for health care and retain workers during ownership transfers, among other things.
UNITE HERE Local 26 - Boston
UNITE HERE Local 30 - San Diego
UNITE HERE Local 40 - Vancouver
On November 3, UNITE HERE Local 40 in Vancouver and Local 75 in Toronto held a joint press conference from their respective cities.
In Vancouver, South Asian community leaders and faith groups joined hotel housekeepers from the Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel to demand that the hotel's owner, Larco Hospitality, treat immigrant hotel workers with respect.
Sandeep Kaur Dhaliwal, room attendant, Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel, 16 years: “I came to Canada from India. I rely on my earnings to take care of my family. I have three kids, the oldest is 15. Our job is a tough job. Since our hotel became a Sheraton, [management] started adding new things that made the work harder and harder. I just got back from being on worker’s compensation after hurting ankle pushing myself to finish my checkoff. My employer, Larco, doesn’t respect us, doesn’t care about us workers. We want Larco to value our work and to quit hurting housekeepers and other hotel workers.”
In Toronto, Filipino community leaders joined hotel workers at the Renaissance Toronto Downtown Hotel, also owned by Larco, to send the same message.
UNITE HERE Local 75 - Toronto
VIDEO: UNITE HERE LOCAL 75'S PRESS CONFERENCE FROM TORONTO FOR #FAIRHOUSEKEEPING GLOBAL WEEK OF ACTION (NOV. 3, 2016).
UNITE HERE Local 450 - Forest Park, Illinois
IUF's Global Week of Action: "Make My Workplace Safe"
Here is only a small sample of some of the images and video materials produced by UNITE HERE's global allies during this year's Week of Action.
Above video from Nordic Union HRCT.
FOR MORE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS FROM ACTIONS AROUND THE WORLD:
Rest easy at a FairHotel! www.fairhotel.org