Waikiki Beach Marriott workers overwhelmingly vote to ratify new contract

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UNITE HERE Local 5 members who work at Waikiki Beach Marriott voted overwhelmingly today to ratify a union contract that covers nearly 500 workers.

The contract is modeled after the contract agreement that was reached on November 27 with Kyo-ya, which owns five Marriott-operated hotels that went on strike for 51 days with the demand that one job should be enough to live in Hawaii.

Waikiki Beach Marriott workers also authorized a strike on September 10, but did not go on strike when nearly 2,700 Kyo-ya workers began striking on October 8. But Waikiki Beach Marriott workers supported Kyo-ya workers by walking the picket lines, volunteering at the strike center, donating to the strike fund, and more.

The new union contract includes job security; reductions in subcontracting of staff positions; worker involvement in the implementation of new technology and automation; a child/elder care fund; a reduction in workload for housekeepers; an increase in wages, an increase in pension contributions; and an increase in health and welfare contributions.

โ€œThis vote shows that weโ€™re united in our belief that one job should be enough to live in Hawaii. We want to thank the Kyo-ya strikers for fighting for all of Hawaiiโ€™s workers and for showing us that through the union, we can make our โ€˜One Jobโ€™ campaign a reality. This is a victory that will impact not just us, but the whole community,โ€ says Chester Corpuz, a Waikiki Beach Marriott housekeeper.

Collective bargaining agreements at 20 Local 5 hotels expired in 2018. With six union contracts settled and 14 more hotel contracts remaining, the โ€œOne Job Should Be Enoughโ€ campaign continues. Local 5 now turns its attention to making one job enough for other hotel workers, other Local 5 members who work in healthcare and food service, and the broader community of working people.

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Chief Assignment editor is Oleg Siziakov

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