United Voice News
The First Star hotel booking system launches
The First Star website is a hotel booking system launched by United Voice at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, October 11.
The First Star website now highlights hotels that have been awarded The First Star status - in recognition of them being both good employers and environmentally responsible. The InterContinental Hotel Group (IHG) are the first hotels to achieve this recognition.
Glenn Thomas – a Union delegate from Holiday Inn Brisbane - Louise Tarrant, United Voice National Secretary, and Bruce McKenzie, IHG’s Chief Operating Officer in Australasia, joined together to celebrate this new phase in the campaign for Better Jobs and Better Hotels.
Nick Sherry, the minister assisting the minister for Tourism, congratulated United Voice and IHG “What is great about today... is the coming together of both IHG the employer and the union, United Voice which represents hospitality workers in a common cause.”
It was Tony Burke, the minister for sustainability, though, that put it best: “This is a way of making sure there are more workplaces that treat people fairly. This is a way of making sure the cutting edge of sustainability keeps get pushed further and further, with great environmental outcomes to come out of that”.
For Glen, a restaurant supervisor, the launch was an opportunity to be more Union active. “Being part of the union is going to benefit staff in the long run – the more people who get together, the stronger our voice. It’s really great United Voice and IHG are working together, and that we work for a company that doesn't frown on being part of the union, so it helps towards developing our careers.”
The First Star website guides travellers towards ethical hotels – and by rewarding responsible hotels we’re all doing our bit to create a responsible industry that offers well paying, secure Union jobs.
