United Voice News
NSW hotel workers proud to make history
1 July was a proud day for hotel worker Bernabe Illescas when he became one of the first workers to make an application to Fair Work Australia to involve fellow Holiday Inn Darling Harbour workers, through the LHMU, in negotiations for a union collective agreement.
Bernabe works as a houseman at the Holiday Inn, one of the many hotels in NSW which tried to rush through non-union agreements before the new Fair Work laws started on 1 July. In fact, just days before, Holiday Inn workers overwhelmingly voted 'no' to the hotel's deal.
Bernabe says the hotel's proposed agreement could fix workers' salaries while getting them to work longer hours, and get rid of public holiday pay. It only offered workers a day off on their birthdays.
"We explained to [workers] that we don't know what management is planning to do because all of a sudden they may want all of us to be on a salary basis," he says. "[Management] also gave us a very short time to vote on the agreement."
"I encouraged them to vote 'no'. I gave them a bird's eye view of what would happen if they voted 'yes'. But most of them were smart enough to know what was going on."
Sofitel Wentworth hotel workers Ana Zubieta and Nadia Limontova too fronted up to Fair Work Australia on 1 July, to apply for LHMU representation in bargaining for their hotel.
Another two hotels where a majority of workers signed bargaining cards for the LHMU to represent them in negotiations with their employer include Stamford Circular Quay and Stamford Airport.
Workers in those hotels will soon be able to collectively negotiate for better wages and conditions to raise standards in the industry. "Being in a union is more safe … And being a union member means the union represents us," Bernabe says. "We can say what we want to say to management - if we just go to management [on our own] they don't listen to us."
But the fight is not over. On 10 July, Fair Work Australia conducted its first hearing on hotel workers' applications, with the next hearing in a month's time. The Australian Hotels Association is requesting evidence that a majority of workers in the four hotels have indeed signed bargaining cards.
Bernabe, though, remains positive, saying: "I think I have positive thoughts for the future. I know it takes time to deal with bargaining a new agreement but I also know one day we will get what we want to get."
exploitative labour practises. YOu have done all workers proud by turning the tables on the power holders!
I was applled to read the article in the Australian "Hotel trio first to approach Work Australia" , on July 2 2009 about the 'sweatshop' conditions on our own soil. Disgraceful for a wealthy, civilised(well, supposedly civilised!) nation such as Australia, where hotels charge premium hotel rates at what human exploitation; the Sofitel Wentworth cannot afford a staff meal?
The upstarts, who are put in charge of managing hotel departments, should be taken to task for their lack of leadership as it might relate to the notion of human resources; perhaps they do not understand the semantics underpinning leadership !
Shameful that luxury hotel brands charge premium tariffs whilst paying a pittance to workers. Benaeth the ritzy facade, the human cost unfolds at some of our top hotel brands, it appears.