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UNITE HERE

UNITE HERE is a labor union in the United States and Canada with roughly 300,000 active members.[1] The union's members work predominantly in the hotel, food service, laundry, warehouse, and casino gaming industries. The union was formed in 2004 by the merger of Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees (UNITE) and Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE).

UNITE HERE
FormationJuly 9, 2004; 19 years ago (2004-07-09)
Merger of
TypeTrade union
HeadquartersNew York City, New York, US
Location
    • Canada
    • United States
Membership (2018)
301,886[1]
President
D. Taylor
SecessionsWorkers United
Affiliations
Websiteunitehere.org
Unite Here members by the Washington Monument, at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

In 2005, UNITE HERE withdrew from the AFL–CIO and joined the Change to Win Federation, along with several other unions, including the Teamsters, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the UFCW. In May 2009, union president Bruce Raynor (originally from UNITE) left UNITE HERE, taking with him numerous local unions and between 105,000 and 150,000 members, mostly garment workers and a labor-owned bank, Amalgamated Bank. They formed a new SEIU affiliate called Workers United.[2]

On September 17, 2009, UNITE HERE announced that it would re-affiliate with the AFL–CIO.[3]

A merged new union edit

Membership (US records)[4]

Finances (US records; ×$1000)[4]
     Assets      Liabilities      Receipts      Disbursements

Bruce Raynor, then president of UNITE, and John W. Wilhelm of HERE became close friends after meeting on a HERE picket line at Yale University in 2003.[2] The two men quickly concluded that their unions should merge.[2] UNITE HERE was formed in 2004 by the merger of UNITE (the Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees) and HERE (Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union).[5][6] The impetus for the merger was that UNITE was wealthy but losing a significant number of members, while HERE had little cash but had a large number of organizing opportunities which could lead to hundreds of thousands of new members.[2][7] The merged entity had 440,000 active members and about 400,000 retired members in both the United States and Canada.[6] Raynor was elected general president of the merged union and Wilhelm was named president of the merged union's hospitality division, but the two men shared executive, budgetary, and personnel duties.[2][8]

In 2005, UNITE HERE withdrew from the AFL–CIO and joined the Change to Win Federation, along with several other unions, including the Laborers' International Union of North America, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Service Employees International Union, United Farm Workers, and United Food and Commercial Workers.[9] UNITE HERE Vice-President Edgar Romney was elected the first secretary-treasurer of the new labor federation.[10]

Split and reaffiliation with AFL–CIO edit

The merger of UNITE and HERE faced initial difficulties due to disagreements between its leaders. By 2007, Raynor was accusing Wilhelm of stifling change, and Wilhelm was angry at Raynor's "heavy-handed" managerial style.[2] Raynor's critics also said the union president often agreed to "sweetheart deals" that hurt workers but which added new members and avoided protracted organizing battles.[2] According to at least one account, Raynor was unhappy that the HERE faction had a majority on the board, which permitted Wilhelm and his supporters to veto his proposals.[2] Raynor allegedly began talking about a "divorce" of the two merged unions in order to precipitate just such an outcome.[2]

In 2007 the union lost its bargaining certificate at Vancouver's General Motors Place. The British Columbia Labour Relations Board conducted a vote to find the employees' preferred affiliation with the Christian Labour Association of Canada.

Significant conflict within the union emerged in early 2009. The union had 366,958 members at the end of 2008.[11] In late 2008, General President Bruce Raynor and 15 local and regional UNITE HERE affiliates in the laundry and garment industries filed lawsuits against Hospitality Division President John Wilhelm, accusing him and his division of fraud, theft, gross mismanagement of $61 million in funds committed to union organizing drives, and failing to resolve members' grievances.[12][13][14] Raynor also accused Wilhelm and his allies of attempting to impose their will on the executive board and the majority of members.[7] Wilhelm and several affiliate leaders in the hospitality division sued Raynor and his allies in the laundry and garment division, claiming that Raynor had acted in violation of the union's constitution and procedures in firing large numbers of Wilhelm supporters in Detroit and Phoenix, Arizona.[13][14] Wilhelm also accused Raynor of disloyalty[15] and dual unionism for continuing to press for the disaffiliation of the garment division affiliates after the UNITE HERE executive board had voted down the proposal.[2][13][14]

By March 2009, the conflict had become unresolveable. On March 7, 2009, Raynor and his supporters held a disaffiliation referendum vote among the members in their affiliate unions in advance of UNITE HERE's first quadrennial convention (set for summer 2009), and said that if they were successful they would affiliate with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).[16][17] Wilhelm and his supporters said that the UNITE HERE constitution prevented any such vote without the permission of the international union's executive board.[16] Also at issue was control over Amalgamated Bank, which UNITE brought with it into the merger and whose ownership (and its substantial net worth) now belonged to UNITE HERE.[7][16] Wilhelm sued Raynor and the 15 affiliates in February 2009 in US district court, but the court declined to prevent the vote.[16]

The period before the vote led to more accusations of misconduct. Wilhelm and his supporters accused SEIU President Andrew Stern of supporting Raynor's disaffiliation move, a charge Stern vigorously denied.[18] Wilhelm also accused Raynor of supporting the disaffiliation effort only because he faced a difficult re-election bid, and of misusing union money and staff to support the secession effort.[2][7][12] Raynor categorically denied all charges.[7] Delegates from the 15 affiliates (representing 100,000 members) met in Philadelphia in late March, and on March 22, 2009, they voted to disaffiliate from UNITE HERE and establish a new union, Workers United.[18][19][20] Workers United immediately affiliated with SEIU.[17][18][19][20] Former UNITE HERE elected officer Edgar Romney was elected President of Workers United.[18] Despite winning the disaffiliation vote, Raynor announced he would finish his term as General President of UNITE HERE rather than join Workers United[7]—a move, one newspaper said, undertaken so that Workers United could gain control of the Amalgamated Bank.[17]

UNITE HERE and Workers United began arguing over who had jurisdiction over various kinds of workers and how to divide UNITE HERE's assets (most importantly, the bank).[20] Wilhelm asked a federal court to give UNITE HERE control over all the union's assets, but the court declined to issue a ruling at that time.[21][22] Joseph T. Hansen, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), attempted to mediate a solution in mid-April, proposing (among other things) that UNITE HERE take jurisdiction over workers in the gaming industry and hotels; that Workers United take jurisdiction over workers in textiles and laundries; and that the two unions split organizing in food service.[2][20] Hansen also suggested that Workers United keep the Amalgamated Bank and the former New York City headquarters of UNITE, but that Workers United make a multimillion-dollar payment to UNITE HERE to compensate it for the losses.[2] Wilhelm rejected the offer.[20] Andrew Stern then suggested that each union retain their existing casino workers, but that UNITE HERE have exclusive jurisdiction over casino workers in the future.[20] Workers United would also pay UNITE HERE $20 million immediately and $46 million move within five years, if UNITE HERE would agree to turn the Amalgamated Bank and other of UNITE's pre-merger assets over to Workers United.[20] United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the dispute.[23] American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten urged the sides to settle as well, writing a letter to both Raynor and Wilhelm cautioning that "This conflict is causing collateral damage. ... The longer it continues, the less likely we are to enact a strong Employee Free Choice Act."[23]

Raynor did not finish his term. In April 2009, Wilhelm formally charged Raynor of using union resources to support the disaffiliation movement.[7] Later that month, the UNITE HERE executive board gave Wilhelm the power to suspend Raynor as the union's president, pending an investigation into Wilhelm's charges.[7][24] Wilhelm suspended Raynor on May 15.[7][24][25] Raynor sued Wilhelm and UNITE HERE in federal court, arguing suspension was not permitted under the union's constitution.[26] At 4:00 AM on May 22, UNITE HERE's executive board and John Wilhelm ordered security guards to secure Raynor's New York City office and prevent Raynor and his allies from entering.[22][25][26][27] Wilhelm said he acted to prevent the destruction of documents, and that Raynor's staff had already removed hundreds of documents and scrubbed computer hard drives clean.[25][27] Wilhelm told the press on May 28 that UNITE HERE staff had found documents showing that Raynor was receiving confidential updates about Workers United activities and finances even though he was still a UNITE HERE official, and that he had shifted millions of dollars of union assets to affiliates seeking disaffiliation.[25][28] Juan Gonzalez, a columnist for New York Daily News, reported on June 16, 2009, that Raynor had transferred more than $12 million to affiliates which supported him as well as to groups outside the union.[17] The transfers allegedly included:

  • A January 31, 2009, transfer of $457,981 to The Organizing Group, a consulting firm founded by Steve Rosenthal (a close associate of former SEIU President Andrew Stern). The Organizing Group, the paper said, used the money to mail and call to UNITE HERE members and advocate for disaffiliation, and to set up a pro-disaffiliation Web site.[2][17]
  • About a dozen transfers totalling $11.2 million between January 26 and 31, 2009, to affiliates which supported Raynor and the disaffiliation movement. The affiliates then allegedly transferred the funds to an external group called Fund for the Future, which supported the disaffiliation effort.[17]
  • Another dozen transfers totaling $500,000 on March 6, 2009, sent to supportive affiliates allegedly to reimburse them for expenditures.[17]

According to internal union documents obtained by the newspaper, Raynor disbursed the money without the required approval from Wilhelm.[17] Wilhelm also accused Raynor of absconding with the $23 million UNITE HERE strike fund (which was invested in the Amalgamated Bank), and investing another $333 million in long-term assets so that the union could not function.[2] Raynor categorically denied the charges.[2] Raynor sued Wilhelm and UNITE HERE, seeking an injunction, access to his office, and return of all property therein.[26] The court declined the request for injunctive relief on May 26.[25][27] An angry Raynor accused Wilhelm of removing his personal files from the office and resigned on May 30 mere hours before the start of the hearing on his suspension.[7][17] Wilhelm was named General President of UNITE HERE after Raynor's resignation.[29][17] He was elected to the position at the union's first quadrennial convention in July 2009.[2]

Wilhelm subsequently accused SEIU of spending millions of dollars to convince more UNITE HERE members to disaffiliate and join Workers United.[2][12] UNITE HERE retaliated by urging employers not to recognize or negotiate with the locals affiliated with Workers United or honor their dues checkoff agreements.[2] Stern disputed the claim, saying SEIU was merely helping its affiliate regain textile workers still part of UNITE HERE, and that SEIU itself had a legitimate right to organize workers in food service.[2][12] Stern also said on August 12, 2009, that the efforts had stopped.[2] Nonetheless, UFCW President Joe Hansen continued to try to mediate a resolution, and expressed his hope that a settlement was possible.[2] In July 2009, the presidents of 27 national unions signed a letter sent to Stern in which they announced their support of UNITE HERE and said they would help defend the union against any raid on its membership or incursion into its organizing jurisdiction.[2]

The remaining 265,000 members of UNITE HERE reaffiliated with the AFL–CIO on September 17, 2009.[29][3][30]

On July 25, 2010, SEIU and UNITE HERE announced they had resolved their 18-month-long dispute. As part of the agreement, ownership of the Amalgamated Bank will be transferred to Workers United (pending approval of federal banking regulators).[31][32] UNITE HERE retained ownership of the union's headquarters in New York City and an additional $75 million in assets.[31] The agreement also settles a jurisdictional dispute over which workers the unions will organize. UNITE HERE agreed to restrict its organizing in the food service industry to those workers at airline caterers, airports, businesses, convention centers, and athletic stadiums, while SEIU and Workers United will restrict its organizing activity in the industry to food service workers in state and local government, health care facilities, and prisons.[31] Both unions will continue to organize food service workers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools and in higher education.[31] The two unions had also disagreed over whether several thousand members of Workers United had been given the opportunity to choose which union they wished to belong to. In the new agreement, SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to let an arbitrator decide to which union the workers wished to belong.[31] At least one analyst characterized the agreement as "SEIU surrendered most of the assets of the venerable splinter union it had tried to absorb, and gave up some jurisdiction it had sought."[32]

Hands Off, Pants On edit

Hands Off, Pants On is a campaign against sexual harassment in the hotel industry in Chicago. The campaign was led by UNITE HERE Local 1.[33]

In 2016, the union conducted a survey of about 500 hotel workers. It found that 58 percent of hotel employees and 77 percent of casino workers said they had been sexually harassed. 49 percent of housekeepers claimed to have been subject to indecent exposure. The survey was supposedly in response to a case where a waitress at Neil Bluhm's Rivers Casino was pulled onto the lap of a guest and asked for oral sex.[34][33][35]

UNITE HERE has proposed legislation that would ban hotel guests who have sexually harassed an employee. The union also supported requiring hotels to give "panic buttons" to any employees who work alone in guest rooms. Unionized hotels would be exempt from these rules.[36][37]

2018 Marriott strike edit

UNITE HERE organized a multi-city strike against Marriott Hotels in fall 2018—the largest multi-city hotel workers' strike to date.[38][39] Citing Marriott's failure to negotiate key issues, 8,300 Marriott workers from across the US voted to authorize a strike in September 2018. Workers in San Francisco and Boston were the first to take action on October 3 and 4, followed by workers in San Diego, Oakland, Hawaii, Detroit and San Jose, affecting 23 hotels overall.

Workers struck for weeks, often in severe weather conditions, for better job security and living wages. While the specific demands varied from property to property, workers rallied around the idea that "One job should be enough," with many citing a need to work two to three jobs in order to make ends meet.[40]

Settlements began to be reached between Marriott and the various UNITE HERE locals in late November. The last contract was ratified in San Francisco on December 3, with 99.6% of the 2,500 local members voting in favor.[41] Across the country, the newly-ratified contracts included significant increases to wages and other benefits, as well as stronger protections against sexual harassment in the workplace.[42]

2023-2024 Los Angeles Hotel strike edit

On July 2, 2023, UNITE HERE's Local 11 chapter, which represents 15,000 workers at 61 hotels in the Los Angeles area, initiated a labor strike.[43][44] By September 2023, the strike was reported to be the largest hotel strike in the history of Southern California.[44] As of October 2023, the strike was still ongoing, with only four hotels securing a labor agreement by October 25.[45] The strike continued into November 2023 as well.[46] By January 2024, only 28 of the hotels affected by the strike had reached new labor agreements.[47] By February 2024, 34 of the hotels targeted by the strike had reached new contract agreements.[48]

2024 LA Grand Hotel and LAX strike edit

On February 13, 2024 food and beverage workers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) who are members of UNITE HERE Local 11 would go on strike for a three day period.[49] This was followed on February 14, 2024 with dozens of employees at Los Angeles Grand Hotel who were also members of UNITE HERE Local 11 also going on strike, demanding better wages and increased staffing.[50][51][52]

Leadership edit

Presidents edit

2004: Bruce S. Raynor
2009: John W. Wilhelm
2012: D. Taylor

Secretary-Treasurers edit

2004: Edgar Romney
2009: Sherri Chiesa
2017: Gwen Mills

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-511. (Search) Report submitted March 29, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Peter Dreier, [1], The Nation, August 12, 2009 (online), August 31, 2009, edition of The Nation. Accessed online September 19, 2009.
  3. ^ a b , Reuters, September 17, 2009. Accessed online September 17, 2009.
  4. ^ a b US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-511. (Search)
  5. ^ Knowles, Francine (July 8, 2004). "A More Perfect Union". Chicago Sun-Times.; Franklin, Stephen (July 6, 2004). "Unions for Hotel Workers, Garment Trade Plan to Merge This Week". Chicago Tribune.
  6. ^ a b "Unions Merge to Create 840,000 member organization". Associated Press. July 8, 2004.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mishak, Michael (May 31, 2009). "UNITE HERE Even More Split as Co-Leader Resigns in Huff". Las Vegas Sun.
  8. ^ Greenhouse, Steven (February 26, 2004). "2 Key Unions Vote to Accept Plan to Merge". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Amber, Michelle and Bologna, Michael. "Departure of SEIU, Teamsters Creates Split Within AFL-CIO on Convention's Opening Day." Labor Relations Week. July 28, 2005; "UFCW Becomes Third Union to Leave AFL-CIO in One Week." Labor Relations Week. August 4, 2005; "UNITE HERE Disaffiliates From AFL-CIO, Citing Differences Over Organizing, Politics." Labor Relations Week. September 15, 2005; "Laborers Plan to Leave AFL-CIO." Wall Street Journal. September 24, 2005; "Organized Labor Fails to Heal Rift." Associated Press. April 25, 2006; "Laborers Union Breaks Free From AFL-CIO." Associated Press. May 22, 2006.
  10. ^ Coyne, Brendan (July 7, 2005). "Neophyte Labor Coalition Elects Officers". The New Standard.
  11. ^ US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-511. Report submitted March 31, 2009.
  12. ^ a b c d Greenhouse, Steven (July 8, 2009). "Infighting Distracts Unions at Crucial Time". The New York Times.
  13. ^ a b c Larrubia, Evelyn (February 22, 2009). "Labor's Time Has Come, But Trouble Stirs Within". Los Angeles Times.
  14. ^ a b c Lucht, Nicole (February 13, 2009). "Internal Conflict Roils Union". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  15. ^ In business ethics and law, members of a board of directors, managers, supervisors, and employees have the duty to remain loyal to the organization. Examples of disloyalty include, but are not limited to, self-dealing, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of confidentiality, violation of a non-compete clause, or failure to publicly support an organization's stated goals, mission, or policies. See: McKnight, Jane Osborne. "Disloyal Employees and Trade Secrets: What We Can Learn from Barbies and Bratz." The Vermont Bar Journal. Fall 2008; Hobby, Catherine. "Equitable Principles of Confidentiality and Whistleblowing." In Feminist Perspectives on Equity and Trusts. Susan Scott-Hunt and Hilary Lim, eds. New York: Routledge Cavendish, 2001, ISBN 1-85941-606-3; Vallance, Elizabeth M. Business Ethics at Work. Reprint 2d ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-521-40568-8; Peterson, Donald J. "The Arbitration of Employee Disloyalty Cases." Journal of Individual Employment Rights 4:3 (1995-1996).
  16. ^ a b c d Larrubia, Evelyn (March 7, 2009). "UNITE HERE Faction Sets Vote on Leaving Union". Los Angeles Times.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gonzalez, Juan. "Battle Over $12M Splits Labor Movement UNITE HERE." New York Daily News. June 16, 2009.
  18. ^ a b c d Hananel, Sam. "Nation's Fastest Growing Union Gets Bigger." Associated Press. March 23, 2009.
  19. ^ a b Greenhouse, Steve. "Union Dissidents Vote to Secede and Realign." New York Times. March 23, 2009.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g Maher, Kris. "Union Factions Reject Mediation Offer From SEIU." Wall Street Journal. May 2, 2009.
  21. ^ Smith, Ben. "The UNITE HERE Hearing." Politico. April 8, 2009.
  22. ^ a b Smith, Ben. "Clash at Union's New York Headquarters." Politico. May 22, 2009.
  23. ^ a b Orey, Michael and Sasseen, Jane. . Business Week. June 4, 2009.
  24. ^ a b Ellis, Kristi. "UNITE HERE Suspends Raynor." Women's Wear Daily. May 15, 2009.
  25. ^ a b c d e Gonzalez, Juan. "Union Shocker: UNITE-HERE Boss Faces Ax in Labor War." New York Daily News. May 29, 2009.
  26. ^ a b c Ellis, Kristi. "UNITE HERE Clash Intensifies." Women's Wear Daily. May 26, 2009.
  27. ^ a b c Lynch, Matthew. "Judge Rejects Raynor Court Request." Women's Wear Daily. May 27, 2009.
  28. ^ Smith, Ben. "Workers United Pleads Poverty to SEIU." Politico. May 28, 2009.
  29. ^ a b Greenhouse, Steve. "Union Rejoining A.F.L.-C.I.O." New York Times. September 17, 2009.
  30. ^ Stutz, Howard. "Culinary Parent UNITE HERE Rejoins AFL-CIO, Ending Four-Year Separation." Las Vegas Review-Journal. September 18, 2009.
  31. ^ a b c d e Greenhouse, Steven. "Service Unions Agree to End a Long Dispute." New York Times. July 26, 2010.
  32. ^ a b Smith, Ben. "A Labor Deal." Politico. July 27, 2010.
  33. ^ a b Corely, Cheryl (October 17, 2016). "Union Publicizes Sexual Harassment In Chicago's Hospitality Industry". NPR. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  34. ^ "HANDS OFF PANTS ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CHICAGO'S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY" (PDF). UNITE HERE Local 1. July 1, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2017.[self-published source?]
  35. ^ Scholke, Melissa (October 19, 2016). "UNITE HERE Takes On Sexual Harassment in Chicago's Hospitality Industry - Ms. Magazine Blog". Ms. Magazine Blog. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  36. ^ Yeung, Bernice (July 21, 2016). . revealnews.org. Archived from the original on February 28, 2017. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  37. ^ Bryson, Donna (November 23, 2016). "US hotel and casino workers fight back against violence and harassment". Equal Times. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
  38. ^ Ting, Deanna (October 16, 2018). "How Big a Problem are the Growing Worker Strikes for Marriott?". Skift. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  39. ^ Gumpert, Rachel. "BREAKING: Thousands of UNITE HERE Marriott Hotel Workers On Strike Across America; More Cities to Walk at Any Moment". UNITE HERE. Retrieved December 2, 2018.
  40. ^ Philp, Drew (October 26, 2018). "'One job should be enough': Marriott hotel workers' strike hits eight US cities". The Guardian. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  41. ^ "Striking Marriott hotel workers ratify new contract in overwhelming vote". Fox 2 KTVU. December 4, 2018. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  42. ^ Ruiz-Grossman, Sarah (December 4, 2018). "Huge Marriott Hotel Strike Ends With San Francisco Workers Winning Better Pay". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  43. ^ Gorman, Steve (July 2, 2023). "Los Angeles-area hotel workers strike over wages, housing". Reuters. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  44. ^ a b Kelly, Kim (September 7, 2023). "Los Angeles hotel workers are striking—here's what you need to know". Fast Company. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  45. ^ Hussain, Suhauna (October 25, 2023). "Fourth hotel reaches with workers as strikes launch at dozens of properties". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  46. ^ Kreidler, Mark (November 6, 2023). "Los Angeles Hotel Strike Stalling, Here's Why". Los Angeles Progressive. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  47. ^ "Nearly half of SoCal hotels involved in local strike have reached tentative deals with workers". Los Angeles Times. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  48. ^ Hussain, Suhalina (February 9, 2024). "Striking hotel workers reach contract agreements with 5 more hotels in months-long fight". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  49. ^ Smith, Kevin (February 13, 2024). "Flight attendants picket Southern California airports over wages, work conditions". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  50. ^ Radin, Danielle (February 15, 2024). "LA Grand Hotel workers strike for better wages". KCAL. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  51. ^ Smith, Kevin (February 14, 2024). "Workers at LAX and LA Grand Hotel launch strikes over wages, staffing". San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  52. ^ Haskell, Josh (February 15, 2024). "Workers at LA Grand Hotel, which houses homeless people, go on strike for better pay". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved February 16, 2024.

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • UNITE HERE Canada

unite, here, labor, union, united, states, canada, with, roughly, active, members, union, members, work, predominantly, hotel, food, service, laundry, warehouse, casino, gaming, industries, union, formed, 2004, merger, union, needletrades, industrial, textile,. UNITE HERE is a labor union in the United States and Canada with roughly 300 000 active members 1 The union s members work predominantly in the hotel food service laundry warehouse and casino gaming industries The union was formed in 2004 by the merger of Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees UNITE and Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union HERE UNITE HEREFormationJuly 9 2004 19 years ago 2004 07 09 Merger ofUnion of Needletrades Industrial and Textile EmployeesHotel Employees and Restaurant Employees UnionTypeTrade unionHeadquartersNew York City New York USLocationCanadaUnited StatesMembership 2018 301 886 1 PresidentD TaylorSecessionsWorkers UnitedAffiliationsAFL CIOCanadian Labour CongressWebsiteunitehere wbr org Unite Here members by the Washington Monument at the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and FreedomIn 2005 UNITE HERE withdrew from the AFL CIO and joined the Change to Win Federation along with several other unions including the Teamsters Service Employees International Union SEIU and the UFCW In May 2009 union president Bruce Raynor originally from UNITE left UNITE HERE taking with him numerous local unions and between 105 000 and 150 000 members mostly garment workers and a labor owned bank Amalgamated Bank They formed a new SEIU affiliate called Workers United 2 On September 17 2009 UNITE HERE announced that it would re affiliate with the AFL CIO 3 Contents 1 A merged new union 2 Split and reaffiliation with AFL CIO 3 Hands Off Pants On 4 2018 Marriott strike 5 2023 2024 Los Angeles Hotel strike 6 2024 LA Grand Hotel and LAX strike 7 Leadership 7 1 Presidents 7 2 Secretary Treasurers 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksA merged new union editMembership US records 4 Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki org Finances US records 1000 4 Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki org Assets Liabilities Receipts Disbursements Bruce Raynor then president of UNITE and John W Wilhelm of HERE became close friends after meeting on a HERE picket line at Yale University in 2003 2 The two men quickly concluded that their unions should merge 2 UNITE HERE was formed in 2004 by the merger of UNITE the Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees and HERE Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union 5 6 The impetus for the merger was that UNITE was wealthy but losing a significant number of members while HERE had little cash but had a large number of organizing opportunities which could lead to hundreds of thousands of new members 2 7 The merged entity had 440 000 active members and about 400 000 retired members in both the United States and Canada 6 Raynor was elected general president of the merged union and Wilhelm was named president of the merged union s hospitality division but the two men shared executive budgetary and personnel duties 2 8 In 2005 UNITE HERE withdrew from the AFL CIO and joined the Change to Win Federation along with several other unions including the Laborers International Union of North America International Brotherhood of Teamsters Service Employees International Union United Farm Workers and United Food and Commercial Workers 9 UNITE HERE Vice President Edgar Romney was elected the first secretary treasurer of the new labor federation 10 Split and reaffiliation with AFL CIO editThe merger of UNITE and HERE faced initial difficulties due to disagreements between its leaders By 2007 Raynor was accusing Wilhelm of stifling change and Wilhelm was angry at Raynor s heavy handed managerial style 2 Raynor s critics also said the union president often agreed to sweetheart deals that hurt workers but which added new members and avoided protracted organizing battles 2 According to at least one account Raynor was unhappy that the HERE faction had a majority on the board which permitted Wilhelm and his supporters to veto his proposals 2 Raynor allegedly began talking about a divorce of the two merged unions in order to precipitate just such an outcome 2 In 2007 the union lost its bargaining certificate at Vancouver s General Motors Place The British Columbia Labour Relations Board conducted a vote to find the employees preferred affiliation with the Christian Labour Association of Canada Significant conflict within the union emerged in early 2009 The union had 366 958 members at the end of 2008 11 In late 2008 General President Bruce Raynor and 15 local and regional UNITE HERE affiliates in the laundry and garment industries filed lawsuits against Hospitality Division President John Wilhelm accusing him and his division of fraud theft gross mismanagement of 61 million in funds committed to union organizing drives and failing to resolve members grievances 12 13 14 Raynor also accused Wilhelm and his allies of attempting to impose their will on the executive board and the majority of members 7 Wilhelm and several affiliate leaders in the hospitality division sued Raynor and his allies in the laundry and garment division claiming that Raynor had acted in violation of the union s constitution and procedures in firing large numbers of Wilhelm supporters in Detroit and Phoenix Arizona 13 14 Wilhelm also accused Raynor of disloyalty 15 and dual unionism for continuing to press for the disaffiliation of the garment division affiliates after the UNITE HERE executive board had voted down the proposal 2 13 14 By March 2009 the conflict had become unresolveable On March 7 2009 Raynor and his supporters held a disaffiliation referendum vote among the members in their affiliate unions in advance of UNITE HERE s first quadrennial convention set for summer 2009 and said that if they were successful they would affiliate with the Service Employees International Union SEIU 16 17 Wilhelm and his supporters said that the UNITE HERE constitution prevented any such vote without the permission of the international union s executive board 16 Also at issue was control over Amalgamated Bank which UNITE brought with it into the merger and whose ownership and its substantial net worth now belonged to UNITE HERE 7 16 Wilhelm sued Raynor and the 15 affiliates in February 2009 in US district court but the court declined to prevent the vote 16 The period before the vote led to more accusations of misconduct Wilhelm and his supporters accused SEIU President Andrew Stern of supporting Raynor s disaffiliation move a charge Stern vigorously denied 18 Wilhelm also accused Raynor of supporting the disaffiliation effort only because he faced a difficult re election bid and of misusing union money and staff to support the secession effort 2 7 12 Raynor categorically denied all charges 7 Delegates from the 15 affiliates representing 100 000 members met in Philadelphia in late March and on March 22 2009 they voted to disaffiliate from UNITE HERE and establish a new union Workers United 18 19 20 Workers United immediately affiliated with SEIU 17 18 19 20 Former UNITE HERE elected officer Edgar Romney was elected President of Workers United 18 Despite winning the disaffiliation vote Raynor announced he would finish his term as General President of UNITE HERE rather than join Workers United 7 a move one newspaper said undertaken so that Workers United could gain control of the Amalgamated Bank 17 UNITE HERE and Workers United began arguing over who had jurisdiction over various kinds of workers and how to divide UNITE HERE s assets most importantly the bank 20 Wilhelm asked a federal court to give UNITE HERE control over all the union s assets but the court declined to issue a ruling at that time 21 22 Joseph T Hansen president of the United Food and Commercial Workers UFCW attempted to mediate a solution in mid April proposing among other things that UNITE HERE take jurisdiction over workers in the gaming industry and hotels that Workers United take jurisdiction over workers in textiles and laundries and that the two unions split organizing in food service 2 20 Hansen also suggested that Workers United keep the Amalgamated Bank and the former New York City headquarters of UNITE but that Workers United make a multimillion dollar payment to UNITE HERE to compensate it for the losses 2 Wilhelm rejected the offer 20 Andrew Stern then suggested that each union retain their existing casino workers but that UNITE HERE have exclusive jurisdiction over casino workers in the future 20 Workers United would also pay UNITE HERE 20 million immediately and 46 million move within five years if UNITE HERE would agree to turn the Amalgamated Bank and other of UNITE s pre merger assets over to Workers United 20 United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the dispute 23 American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten urged the sides to settle as well writing a letter to both Raynor and Wilhelm cautioning that This conflict is causing collateral damage The longer it continues the less likely we are to enact a strong Employee Free Choice Act 23 Raynor did not finish his term In April 2009 Wilhelm formally charged Raynor of using union resources to support the disaffiliation movement 7 Later that month the UNITE HERE executive board gave Wilhelm the power to suspend Raynor as the union s president pending an investigation into Wilhelm s charges 7 24 Wilhelm suspended Raynor on May 15 7 24 25 Raynor sued Wilhelm and UNITE HERE in federal court arguing suspension was not permitted under the union s constitution 26 At 4 00 AM on May 22 UNITE HERE s executive board and John Wilhelm ordered security guards to secure Raynor s New York City office and prevent Raynor and his allies from entering 22 25 26 27 Wilhelm said he acted to prevent the destruction of documents and that Raynor s staff had already removed hundreds of documents and scrubbed computer hard drives clean 25 27 Wilhelm told the press on May 28 that UNITE HERE staff had found documents showing that Raynor was receiving confidential updates about Workers United activities and finances even though he was still a UNITE HERE official and that he had shifted millions of dollars of union assets to affiliates seeking disaffiliation 25 28 Juan Gonzalez a columnist for New York Daily News reported on June 16 2009 that Raynor had transferred more than 12 million to affiliates which supported him as well as to groups outside the union 17 The transfers allegedly included A January 31 2009 transfer of 457 981 to The Organizing Group a consulting firm founded by Steve Rosenthal a close associate of former SEIU President Andrew Stern The Organizing Group the paper said used the money to mail and call to UNITE HERE members and advocate for disaffiliation and to set up a pro disaffiliation Web site 2 17 About a dozen transfers totalling 11 2 million between January 26 and 31 2009 to affiliates which supported Raynor and the disaffiliation movement The affiliates then allegedly transferred the funds to an external group called Fund for the Future which supported the disaffiliation effort 17 Another dozen transfers totaling 500 000 on March 6 2009 sent to supportive affiliates allegedly to reimburse them for expenditures 17 According to internal union documents obtained by the newspaper Raynor disbursed the money without the required approval from Wilhelm 17 Wilhelm also accused Raynor of absconding with the 23 million UNITE HERE strike fund which was invested in the Amalgamated Bank and investing another 333 million in long term assets so that the union could not function 2 Raynor categorically denied the charges 2 Raynor sued Wilhelm and UNITE HERE seeking an injunction access to his office and return of all property therein 26 The court declined the request for injunctive relief on May 26 25 27 An angry Raynor accused Wilhelm of removing his personal files from the office and resigned on May 30 mere hours before the start of the hearing on his suspension 7 17 Wilhelm was named General President of UNITE HERE after Raynor s resignation 29 17 He was elected to the position at the union s first quadrennial convention in July 2009 2 Wilhelm subsequently accused SEIU of spending millions of dollars to convince more UNITE HERE members to disaffiliate and join Workers United 2 12 UNITE HERE retaliated by urging employers not to recognize or negotiate with the locals affiliated with Workers United or honor their dues checkoff agreements 2 Stern disputed the claim saying SEIU was merely helping its affiliate regain textile workers still part of UNITE HERE and that SEIU itself had a legitimate right to organize workers in food service 2 12 Stern also said on August 12 2009 that the efforts had stopped 2 Nonetheless UFCW President Joe Hansen continued to try to mediate a resolution and expressed his hope that a settlement was possible 2 In July 2009 the presidents of 27 national unions signed a letter sent to Stern in which they announced their support of UNITE HERE and said they would help defend the union against any raid on its membership or incursion into its organizing jurisdiction 2 The remaining 265 000 members of UNITE HERE reaffiliated with the AFL CIO on September 17 2009 29 3 30 On July 25 2010 SEIU and UNITE HERE announced they had resolved their 18 month long dispute As part of the agreement ownership of the Amalgamated Bank will be transferred to Workers United pending approval of federal banking regulators 31 32 UNITE HERE retained ownership of the union s headquarters in New York City and an additional 75 million in assets 31 The agreement also settles a jurisdictional dispute over which workers the unions will organize UNITE HERE agreed to restrict its organizing in the food service industry to those workers at airline caterers airports businesses convention centers and athletic stadiums while SEIU and Workers United will restrict its organizing activity in the industry to food service workers in state and local government health care facilities and prisons 31 Both unions will continue to organize food service workers in elementary middle and secondary schools and in higher education 31 The two unions had also disagreed over whether several thousand members of Workers United had been given the opportunity to choose which union they wished to belong to In the new agreement SEIU and UNITE HERE agreed to let an arbitrator decide to which union the workers wished to belong 31 At least one analyst characterized the agreement as SEIU surrendered most of the assets of the venerable splinter union it had tried to absorb and gave up some jurisdiction it had sought 32 Hands Off Pants On editHands Off Pants On is a campaign against sexual harassment in the hotel industry in Chicago The campaign was led by UNITE HERE Local 1 33 In 2016 the union conducted a survey of about 500 hotel workers It found that 58 percent of hotel employees and 77 percent of casino workers said they had been sexually harassed 49 percent of housekeepers claimed to have been subject to indecent exposure The survey was supposedly in response to a case where a waitress at Neil Bluhm s Rivers Casino was pulled onto the lap of a guest and asked for oral sex 34 33 35 UNITE HERE has proposed legislation that would ban hotel guests who have sexually harassed an employee The union also supported requiring hotels to give panic buttons to any employees who work alone in guest rooms Unionized hotels would be exempt from these rules 36 37 2018 Marriott strike editMain article 2018 Marriott Hotels strike UNITE HERE organized a multi city strike against Marriott Hotels in fall 2018 the largest multi city hotel workers strike to date 38 39 Citing Marriott s failure to negotiate key issues 8 300 Marriott workers from across the US voted to authorize a strike in September 2018 Workers in San Francisco and Boston were the first to take action on October 3 and 4 followed by workers in San Diego Oakland Hawaii Detroit and San Jose affecting 23 hotels overall Workers struck for weeks often in severe weather conditions for better job security and living wages While the specific demands varied from property to property workers rallied around the idea that One job should be enough with many citing a need to work two to three jobs in order to make ends meet 40 Settlements began to be reached between Marriott and the various UNITE HERE locals in late November The last contract was ratified in San Francisco on December 3 with 99 6 of the 2 500 local members voting in favor 41 Across the country the newly ratified contracts included significant increases to wages and other benefits as well as stronger protections against sexual harassment in the workplace 42 2023 2024 Los Angeles Hotel strike editOn July 2 2023 UNITE HERE s Local 11 chapter which represents 15 000 workers at 61 hotels in the Los Angeles area initiated a labor strike 43 44 By September 2023 the strike was reported to be the largest hotel strike in the history of Southern California 44 As of October 2023 the strike was still ongoing with only four hotels securing a labor agreement by October 25 45 The strike continued into November 2023 as well 46 By January 2024 only 28 of the hotels affected by the strike had reached new labor agreements 47 By February 2024 34 of the hotels targeted by the strike had reached new contract agreements 48 2024 LA Grand Hotel and LAX strike editOn February 13 2024 food and beverage workers at Los Angeles International Airport LAX who are members of UNITE HERE Local 11 would go on strike for a three day period 49 This was followed on February 14 2024 with dozens of employees at Los Angeles Grand Hotel who were also members of UNITE HERE Local 11 also going on strike demanding better wages and increased staffing 50 51 52 Leadership editPresidents edit 2004 Bruce S Raynor 2009 John W Wilhelm 2012 D TaylorSecretary Treasurers edit 2004 Edgar Romney 2009 Sherri Chiesa 2017 Gwen MillsSee also edit nbsp Organized labour portalCulinary Workers Union Hotel Workers Rising Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union HERE Union of Needletrades Industrial and Textile Employees UNITE Initiative Measure 124 Seattle Richard Hedreen 1922 New England Textile StrikeReferences edit a b US Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards File number 000 511 Search Report submitted March 29 2019 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Peter Dreier 1 The Nation August 12 2009 online August 31 2009 edition of The Nation Accessed online September 19 2009 a b Statement of John W Wilhelm President of UNITE HERE International Union at AFL CIO Reuters September 17 2009 Accessed online September 17 2009 a b US Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards File number 000 511 Search Knowles Francine July 8 2004 A More Perfect Union Chicago Sun Times Franklin Stephen July 6 2004 Unions for Hotel Workers Garment Trade Plan to Merge This Week Chicago Tribune a b Unions Merge to Create 840 000 member organization Associated Press July 8 2004 a b c d e f g h i j Mishak Michael May 31 2009 UNITE HERE Even More Split as Co Leader Resigns in Huff Las Vegas Sun Greenhouse Steven February 26 2004 2 Key Unions Vote to Accept Plan to Merge The New York Times Amber Michelle and Bologna Michael Departure of SEIU Teamsters Creates Split Within AFL CIO on Convention s Opening Day Labor Relations Week July 28 2005 UFCW Becomes Third Union to Leave AFL CIO in One Week Labor Relations Week August 4 2005 UNITE HERE Disaffiliates From AFL CIO Citing Differences Over Organizing Politics Labor Relations Week September 15 2005 Laborers Plan to Leave AFL CIO Wall Street Journal September 24 2005 Organized Labor Fails to Heal Rift Associated Press April 25 2006 Laborers Union Breaks Free From AFL CIO Associated Press May 22 2006 Coyne Brendan July 7 2005 Neophyte Labor Coalition Elects Officers The New Standard US Department of Labor Office of Labor Management Standards File number 000 511 Report submitted March 31 2009 a b c d Greenhouse Steven July 8 2009 Infighting Distracts Unions at Crucial Time The New York Times a b c Larrubia Evelyn February 22 2009 Labor s Time Has Come But Trouble Stirs Within Los Angeles Times a b c Lucht Nicole February 13 2009 Internal Conflict Roils Union Las Vegas Sun Retrieved April 7 2023 In business ethics and law members of a board of directors managers supervisors and employees have the duty to remain loyal to the organization Examples of disloyalty include but are not limited to self dealing breach of fiduciary duty breach of confidentiality violation of a non compete clause or failure to publicly support an organization s stated goals mission or policies See McKnight Jane Osborne Disloyal Employees and Trade Secrets What We Can Learn from Barbies and Bratz The Vermont Bar Journal Fall 2008 Hobby Catherine Equitable Principles of Confidentiality and Whistleblowing In Feminist Perspectives on Equity and Trusts Susan Scott Hunt and Hilary Lim eds New York Routledge Cavendish 2001 ISBN 1 85941 606 3 Vallance Elizabeth M Business Ethics at Work Reprint 2d ed New York Cambridge University Press 1995 ISBN 0 521 40568 8 Peterson Donald J The Arbitration of Employee Disloyalty Cases Journal of Individual Employment Rights 4 3 1995 1996 a b c d Larrubia Evelyn March 7 2009 UNITE HERE Faction Sets Vote on Leaving Union Los Angeles Times a b c d e f g h i j Gonzalez Juan Battle Over 12M Splits Labor Movement UNITE HERE New York Daily News June 16 2009 a b c d Hananel Sam Nation s Fastest Growing Union Gets Bigger Associated Press March 23 2009 a b Greenhouse Steve Union Dissidents Vote to Secede and Realign New York Times March 23 2009 a b c d e f g Maher Kris Union Factions Reject Mediation Offer From SEIU Wall Street Journal May 2 2009 Smith Ben The UNITE HERE Hearing Politico April 8 2009 a b Smith Ben Clash at Union s New York Headquarters Politico May 22 2009 a b Orey Michael and Sasseen Jane No Solidarity for Labor Business Week June 4 2009 a b Ellis Kristi UNITE HERE Suspends Raynor Women s Wear Daily May 15 2009 a b c d e Gonzalez Juan Union Shocker UNITE HERE Boss Faces Ax in Labor War New York Daily News May 29 2009 a b c Ellis Kristi UNITE HERE Clash Intensifies Women s Wear Daily May 26 2009 a b c Lynch Matthew Judge Rejects Raynor Court Request Women s Wear Daily May 27 2009 Smith Ben Workers United Pleads Poverty to SEIU Politico May 28 2009 a b Greenhouse Steve Union Rejoining A F L C I O New York Times September 17 2009 Stutz Howard Culinary Parent UNITE HERE Rejoins AFL CIO Ending Four Year Separation Las Vegas Review Journal September 18 2009 a b c d e Greenhouse Steven Service Unions Agree to End a Long Dispute New York Times July 26 2010 a b Smith Ben A Labor Deal Politico July 27 2010 a b Corely Cheryl October 17 2016 Union Publicizes Sexual Harassment In Chicago s Hospitality Industry NPR Retrieved August 22 2017 HANDS OFF PANTS ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN CHICAGO S HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY PDF UNITE HERE Local 1 July 1 2016 Retrieved August 22 2017 self published source Scholke Melissa October 19 2016 UNITE HERE Takes On Sexual Harassment in Chicago s Hospitality Industry Ms Magazine Blog Ms Magazine Blog Retrieved August 22 2017 Yeung Bernice July 21 2016 Why cleaning a hotel room makes you a target for sexual harassment revealnews org Archived from the original on February 28 2017 Retrieved August 22 2017 Bryson Donna November 23 2016 US hotel and casino workers fight back against violence and harassment Equal Times Retrieved August 22 2017 Ting Deanna October 16 2018 How Big a Problem are the Growing Worker Strikes for Marriott Skift Retrieved December 1 2018 Gumpert Rachel BREAKING Thousands of UNITE HERE Marriott Hotel Workers On Strike Across America More Cities to Walk at Any Moment UNITE HERE Retrieved December 2 2018 Philp Drew October 26 2018 One job should be enough Marriott hotel workers strike hits eight US cities The Guardian Retrieved December 1 2018 Striking Marriott hotel workers ratify new contract in overwhelming vote Fox 2 KTVU December 4 2018 Retrieved December 15 2018 Ruiz Grossman Sarah December 4 2018 Huge Marriott Hotel Strike Ends With San Francisco Workers Winning Better Pay Huffington Post Retrieved December 15 2018 Gorman Steve July 2 2023 Los Angeles area hotel workers strike over wages housing Reuters Retrieved November 9 2023 a b Kelly Kim September 7 2023 Los Angeles hotel workers are striking here s what you need to know Fast Company Retrieved November 13 2023 Hussain Suhauna October 25 2023 Fourth hotel reaches with workers as strikes launch at dozens of properties Los Angeles Times Retrieved November 9 2023 Kreidler Mark November 6 2023 Los Angeles Hotel Strike Stalling Here s Why Los Angeles Progressive Retrieved November 9 2023 Nearly half of SoCal hotels involved in local strike have reached tentative deals with workers Los Angeles Times January 12 2024 Retrieved January 24 2024 Hussain Suhalina February 9 2024 Striking hotel workers reach contract agreements with 5 more hotels in months long fight Los Angeles Times Retrieved February 16 2024 Smith Kevin February 13 2024 Flight attendants picket Southern California airports over wages work conditions San Gabriel Valley Tribune Retrieved February 16 2024 Radin Danielle February 15 2024 LA Grand Hotel workers strike for better wages KCAL Retrieved February 16 2024 Smith Kevin February 14 2024 Workers at LAX and LA Grand Hotel launch strikes over wages staffing San Gabriel Valley Tribune Retrieved February 16 2024 Haskell Josh February 15 2024 Workers at LA Grand Hotel which houses homeless people go on strike for better pay ABC7 Los Angeles Retrieved February 16 2024 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to UNITE HERE Official website nbsp UNITE HERE Canada Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title UNITE HERE amp oldid 1208531139, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, 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