https://socialistaction.org/2018/03/09/hilton-hotel-workers-walk-out-for-a-good-contract/
Hilton hotel workers walk out for a good contract
/ 2 days ago
April 2018 Hilton March 8By ERNIE GOTTA
— STAMFORD, Conn. — Workers at the Stamford Hilton Hotel walked off the
job Thursday, March 8, to strike for a good contract. They picketed in
front of the entry way for nearly two hours, chanting, “No contract, No
Peace.”
[See the video:
https://www.facebook.com/melissa.abbe.7/videos/10214115775642871/ ]
Members of International Women’s Strike Connecticut joined the picket
line in solidarity. They made the connection between the Stamford union
fight and the millions of women who marched in countries around the
world on International Women’s Day demanding better wages, working
conditions, an end to sexual abuse, immigrant rights, an end to racism,
health care, and jobs. More than 5.3 million people marched in Spain alone.
The struggle for a good contract at the Stamford Hilton was broadened to
include contract fights at the Hartford Hilton and New Haven Omni
hotels.April 2018 Hilton March 8 (2)
Last month, workers from all three hotels had a meeting. All three are
owned by different companies but are organized by workers through Unite
Here Local 217. All three are headed in to difficult contract
negotiations. They met to discuss and vote on a joint strategy to win
good contracts. They were joined by workers from the Hyatt Regency in
Greenwich and RSB cafeteria in Stamford, who also represented by Local 217.
The meeting voted overwhelmingly for three demands to popularize their
campaign publicly—better wages, free quality health care, and pensions.
How are these hotel workers planning to win? In a recent Truthout
article, “Stamford Workers Show how to Transform our Unions and Rebuild
the Labor Movement,” Andrew Tillet-Saks, organizer for Local 217,
outlined their strategy. The article shows the potential of rebuilding
the labor movement through militant rank and file union democracy,
mobilizations, and class independence.
Local 217 doesn’t plan on taking concessions. They’re fighting back in a
serious way. Cafeteria workers at Central Connecticut State University
successfully defended their contract from cutbacks. Shelton public
school cafeteria workers also have had a good contract for decades. The
Whitsons company, recently brought in to manage the town’s cafeterias,
is trying to increase its profits under the pretext of lowering the
town’s budget. Whitsons is notorious for slashing wages and health-care
benefits by breaking union contracts. Lawn signs supporting the
cafeteria workers show broad support in the community.
Contained in these struggles is a message of hope for those outside
organized labor trying to get in, and motivation for those already
organized looking to build the labor movement in a time when most unions
are taking concessions. There is good reason to hope for a resurgence of
organized labor, as record numbers of young people look to join unions
to improve their standard of living. Michelle Chen wrote in The Nation,
“Nationwide in 2017, nearly 860,000 workers under age 35 got hired, and
nearly a quarter of those were union jobs.”
Because strikes in the U.S. have been at an all-time low, the teachers’
strike in West Virginia is an important test. Their strike for better
pay should inspire the labor movement to take a stand and reverse
decades of retreat and class collaboration with the bosses. The victory
of West Virginia teachers will strengthen and validate the fighting
spirit and class struggle perspectives of Local 217. Hotel workers in
Stamford recently took a photo to send their solidarity to West Virginia
teachers.
In Stamford, workers know that solidarity is an important part of
winning their contract negotiations and waging future battles to improve
their living conditions under the exploitative capitalist system.
Photos by Socialist Action.
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March 9, 2018 in Connecticut, Labor.
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