By Haseena Manek Hotel workers facing sexual harassment from guests hand list of demands to Marriott bosses at UN Labour Council meeting in Geneva During the United Nations International Labour Organization Conference in Geneva last month, hotel workers from across the globe met to discuss the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace and hand Continue readingHotel workers from around the world challenge sexual harassment
UNITE HERE
“We hadn’t set up a new organization in order to be cannibals in the Canadian labour movement.” — Bob White, first president of the Canadian Auto Workers (now Unifor). By Doug Nesbitt, Gerard Di Trolio, Evan Johnston and David Bush Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, has left the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). Unifor’s website Continue readingUnifor-CLC split demands unity from below
By Zaid Noorsumar Patricia Mahamalage, 45, has been temporarily laid off from her cafeteria job at University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. Her employer, Aramark, told her that business is slow during the summer and that she will have her job back in September. Summer lay-offs are the norm for cafeteria staff at UTSC, where food Continue readingUoT cafeteria workers’ quest for justice
By Alia Karim and David Bush On Monday striking York food service workers, represented by Unite Here Local 75, voted to accept their new contract. The workers went on strike for and won a $15/hour starting wage and fair working conditions. Their victory paves the way for workers right across the province to achieve $15 Continue readingStriking York food service workers win $15 and Fairness
By Parmbir Gill This being Black History Month, it’s apt to begin with the words of Malcolm X: “We declare our right on this earth…to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which Continue readingYork food workers take on Aramark and the university
By David Bush Incredibly loud and extremely joyous, that’s how over 200 food service workers at York University in Toronto kicked off their one-day strike. The Aramark workers, members of Unite Here Local 75, walked off the job yesterday for increased pay, improved benefits and respect at work. Malka Paracha, a food service supervisor at Continue readingAramark gets served: York food workers strike back
By CJ Chanco Cafeteria workers at York University and the University of Toronto’s (UofT) Scarborough campus are gearing up for a joint strike in February. The workers are employed by Aramark, which is contracted out by the universities to provide food service on their campuses. Workers themselves see any potential strike as targeting the universities, Continue readingStrike for $15: Food service workers ready to take on Aramark
By Daniel Tseghay In April of 2015, the Nanaimo Golf Club locked out 24 food and beverage workers after they served a strike notice. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, included the chef, bartenders, cooks, servers, dishwashers and janitors. Despite coming to agreement on a number of issues, including health care, the two Continue readingNanaimo Golf Club workers locked out: An end in sight?
By Tania Parker Sometimes seen, rarely heard, hotel housekeepers often toil away in the background with little to no recognition for the backbreaking work they do. As with most jobs in the service industry, the work is physically demanding: housekeepers are constantly on their feet, vacuuming and scrubbing repetitively, wringing towels and lifting up to Continue readingWorkload, safety on the table for BC’s Coast Hotel workers
By Stephen Ellis December 2, 2015 was CUPE 3903’s Day of Solidarity with UNITE local 75. Throughout the day, 50 or so York University workers and students, as well as Jane and Finch Action Against Poverty activists and others, walked the picket line bringing a much-appreciated ruckus to the strike. Those in attendance chanted “up Continue readingCUPE 3903 Day of Solidarity with UNITE HERE Local 75
By Stephen Ellis As they head into the seventh week of their strike and the weather turns cold, workers of UNITE HERE local 75 at the Holiday Inn on Norfinch Drive in North York, Ontario remain hot on the trail of a fair contract. On Oct. 5, 2015 hospitality workers walked off the job to Continue readingUNITE HERE Local 75: Their fight is our fight
By John DG 30 Norfinch Drive may not be the centre of the city, but right now you could call it the centre of the fight to decide wether hospitality jobs in the city of Toronto will be a path to the middle class or a poverty sentence. To keep warm and occupied the workers Continue readingHoliday Inn workers stand up for Toronto service sector