United Voice News
In this issue:
1. Westin and Langham members rise to the top
2. Meet Preeta: the voice of Hyatt members
4. Members march for a safe climate
Dear member,
At this time of year many of us try to spend time with family and friends.
But in hospitality getting time away from work when we want it can be difficult.
This year brave hotel members at the Westin and Langham hotels fought hard for a better work-life balance.
They stuck together and demanded their employers respect their right to a life outside work.
And they won! Their new union agreements give members better rosters and more guaranteed time off.
They also won strong pay rises – making the holiday season a little easier this year.
Members at the Hyatt Hotels are bargaining a new agreement now. They also want more time with their families.
Representing Hyatt members across Australia is Preeta Ramchurn-Madhour.
Preeta is an inspiration – standing up for a fair deal and helping her colleagues to speak with one big, strong voice.
Crown members are coming together too. They met last month to discuss the changes they want to see in their jobs. When you boil it down what they want is to be treated with RESPECT!
Our industry suffers from sky-high levels of employee turnover.
We know how to fix that – and lot of other problems too.
When we stand together we can make sure our voice is heard and that our loyalty and hard work are rewarded.
In unity,
Jess Walsh
Branch Secretary,
LHMU Victoria
Westin and Langham members rise to the top
Members at Melbourne’s Westin and Langham Hotels will be some of the highest paid hotel workers in Australia, after both winning strong union agreements.
Members at The Westin Hotel won a $22 a week pay rise in October and similar increases in 2010 and 2011. Delegate Marion Stewart said members stayed strong throughout the negotiations and it paid off.
‘Having the $22 is so much better than what we had before, everybody’s really happy with that and we are glad we stood our ground.’
Marion said the push for a pay increase was not only about making life easier. Members want to feel respected for the hard work they do.
‘We don’t want to go back to the dark ages with people working for nothing, everyone’s got to pay bills and just live and survive.’
Members at Melbourne’s Langham Hotel are also jubilant. Their agreement includes similar pay rises.
Delegate Mel Bougatsias said members are rapt that their hard work and dedication are being valued.
‘I feel we deserve to be paid what we’re worth. We work very hard so it’s nice to feel appreciated.’
Members at both hotels won a better work-life balance. Westin members have reduced the total number of days in a row they have to work and won a minimum of one weekend off per month.
They have also won a consultative committee where they can discuss rostering problems and other important issues with the boss.
Langham members won a proper rostered day off after every night shift. They also protected their over-time penalty rates and fought off an attack on permanent full time jobs.
Mel said doubling union membership at the Langham gave members the power to win a better deal.
‘The more people we had in the union, the greater bargaining power we had and it paid off.’
Marion said Westin members also felt stronger once they began working together.
‘People started to realise if you stand together you’re going to achieve a lot more.’
Both agreements expire in mid 2011. This means Langham and Westin members will bargain together as one strong, united group.
Meet Preeta: the voice of Hyatt members
Hyatt members have begun negotiations on a new union agreement. They want higher pay and a better work-life balance but Hyatt Hotels is trying to strip away conditions.
Representing members across Australia in negotiations is Preeta Ramchurn-Madhour from Melbourne’s Park Hyatt. A food and beverage attendant, Preeta got involved because she feels that actions speak louder than words.
“I always complained but didn’t have an opportunity to say anything so this was my chance to stop complaining and do something.”
During the negotiations Preeta has spoken out about the benefits of keeping staff happy and how this creates more productive workplaces.
She has also been talking with other members about the changes they want to see in their workplaces.
“We don’t have a life, our lives just rotate around the hotel, around the industry,” said Preeta.
“The pay is very meagre so we need to work many more hours.”
Preeta said members are angry about the rostering and the little respect shown for their personal lives.
“You don’t know when you’re going home, even if on the roster it says a certain time, and they don’t even bother to ask you if it’s OK that you stay.”
Mauritian born Preeta is showing her colleagues how they can build a strong voice.
She enjoying her role but stresses we need to bring the whole industry together to win real change.
“If we are not together as a team, as a group, it won’t happen. It will take us all to be together.”
Crown members want change
Members at Melbourne’s Crown Casino have come together to talk about the change they want to see in their jobs.
At a large meeting at the union office in October members said they want to build a stronger voice and be treated with respect by Crown.
Member Toby Xie who has worked in the Crown car park for almost a year.
“It’s good to come together to talk about the problems of working at Crown and what we can do to improve them.”
“Sitting together and listening to other staff was great. The more people that are discussing the issues the more ideas you can get to make things better.”
“If there is lots of union members sitting together it means the group is much more powerful and Crown will listen to the group.”
Food and Beverage member Alex Robb was also at the meeting and is keen to see change.
“It’s very important that the staff are involved. The more staff we have on our side the more power we have.”
“We need strength in the union and we need a majority of Crown staff a part of the union.”
Members march for a safe climate
On Saturday 12 December thousands of Australians will participate in the Walk Against Warming to raise their voice about the danger to our planet from climate change.
As we march world leaders will meet in Copenhagen deciding on what action the world will take on the climate crisis.
Victorians will send a message our leaders can’t ignore: a 20,000 person human sign demanding real action: Safe Climate – Do It!
Click here to join the march for a safe climate on Saturday 12 December
LHMU members are supporting the march because a safe climate matters to us too.
Member Bronwen Jefferson said she will be joining the Walk Against Warming.
“It’s such a great idea and it will be a really powerful image having this giant human sign in Melbourne, I will certainly be there.”
For Bronwen the Walk is about making sure her children can live in a safe climate.
“Children are such a huge part in this and we sometimes overlook that. They are going to inherit this mess. I will be taking my kids and I strongly encourage everyone, especially families, to get down there.”
Our campaigns have shown that when workers stand together we can make a real difference. That is why LHMU members around the country are joining the walk.
“LHMU members are used to making a difference in their workplaces so we should be looking at extending that to environmental issues by getting on board with Walk Against Warming,” said Bronwen.
The Melbourne Walk Against Warming starts at 12pm on Saturday 12 December 2009 at the State Library on Swanston Street.
Click here to join the march for a safe climate on Saturday 12 December
