***RSVP BELOW***

Carpenters Local 713 Union Hall

1050 Mattox Road, Hayward

Sisters and Brothers,

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: a Castlewood VICTORY party!!!

As a way of thanking you for your endless support, donations, solidarity, and so much more we are holding an informal dinner party to celebrate the new contract for the workers at Castlewood Country Club.

For those of you who need a refresher on the history of the campaign, check out our website or watch this video.

Over the course of 3 years we’ve amassed countless stories, experiences, memories, and photos fighting the 1%. We hope this evening will be a reminder to the power of workers and communities standing together for justice—even against all odds.

Admission is FREE but we will be passing the hat to collect donations.

You MUST RSVP BELOW so we can have tamales for everyone!

For questions contact Sarah (510-502-5344) or Matt (703-955-0075)

In Solidarity,

UNITE HERE! Local 2850

Friday, March 15, 11am – 1:30pm

Oakland International Airport

Since June 2012, non-union food service workers at the Oakland Airport have been demanding a fair process to decide whether to form a union. They have since called for a boycott of their shops, and participated in multiple rallies over the past seven months to highlight injustices and retaliatory firings.

Come stand with workers as they continue their fight for justice! We will be inside the terminals near baggage claim, as well as outside Terminal 2.

RSVP at our Facebook event.

If you haven’t already, be sure to sign the boycott pledge.

Photo credit: David Bacon

Castlewood workers have won their struggle for justice!

On February 13, the workers approved a great new contract that provides job security, affordable family health care, raises, and a substantial signing bonus.

“So many people told us that dishwashers and waitresses couldn’t win against a luxury golf club,” said server Jeanette Cardenas. “But we’ve learned that it doesn’t matter who you are, if you stay strong and you’re on the side of justice.”

Workers and their supporters fought bravely throughout a lockout that lasted longer than the siege of Leningrad. The workers returned to their jobs in October 2012 after a National Labor Relations Board judge found the lockout illegal, but contract negotiations continued through the winter.

Under the new contract, workers will pay $225 per month for family health care, the same amount the union proposed before the lockout began. The workers’ payment will go down to $150 in the last year of the contract. The deal also includes raises, strong seniority rights and protections against subcontracting – which Castlewood proposed eliminating during the lockout – and a signing bonus.

With the contract resolved, UNITE HERE Local 2850 has called off its boycott of Castlewood and is urging clients who canceled their events during the labor dispute to return.

“This isn’t just our victory,” said janitor Francisca Carranza. “So many people in the community, political leaders, pastors and other workers marched with us. We are so thankful to all of you – we never could have won this fight alone. Now we hope workers everywhere see this and understand that you don’t have to give up everything you’ve worked for. You can stand up for your family and win.”

Stay tuned for details on the Castlewood campaign celebration!

For more information, contact Sarah Norr at 510-502-5344 or norr.sarah@gmail.com.

¡Si se pudo!!

UNITE HERE Local 2850

BACKGROUND

Castlewood Country Club food service workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 2850, enjoyed stable jobs with free family health care for many years. In the fall of 2009, Castlewood proposed raising workers’ share of family health care costs to $739 a month – over 40% of the average worker’s wage.

The workers rejected the proposal, but offered to pay $225 per month for family health care and to continue negotiating amicably. Instead, Castlewood locked them out on February 25, 2010. Castlewood then urged its employees to decertify their union, but the workers voted 41-17 to remain represented by the union.

Six months into the lockout, Castlewood made new proposals that were substantially worse than its original offer. The proposals would have stripped away seniority and job security protections, allowed unlimited subcontracting of workers’ jobs, made it optional for workers to pay union dues, and increased the cost of family health care even further. The union filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board.

Throughout the lockout, workers maintained daily pickets in front of Castlewood’s golf course, and coordinated dozens of larger actions. They were joined by political leaders, local clergy, and Pleasanton neighbors. They also organized a successful boycott of the Club and a high-profile civil disobedience action. The story – of low-wage workers fighting back against the illegal pressure tactics of a high-end golf club – drew national attention.

On August 17, 2012, NLRB Administrative Law Judge Clifford Anderson found that Castlewood had maintained an unlawful lockout for the previous two years. Anderson found that Castlewood had bargained in bad faith and that its bargaining proposals were motivated by animus toward the union.

On October 16, 2012, Castlewood ended the lockout. 46 of the 61 locked out workers returned to their jobs. Castlewood and the union continued to bargain for a new contract.

On February 13, 2013, the workers voted to ratify a new three-year contract. Under the deal, workers will pay $225 per month for family health care – the same amount the union proposed at the beginning of the lockout. Workers’ contribution will decrease to $150 per month in the last year of the contract. The contract also includes raises, strong seniority language and protections against subcontracting, and a signing bonus.

With the lockout over and the contract resolved, UNITE HERE Local 2850 and Castlewood workers ended their boycott of the Club and urged clients to return. They also asked the NLRB to drop its prosecution of Castlewood.

Friday, January 25, 11am – 1:30pm.

Oakland Airport, Inside Terminals 1 and 2

Non-union fast food workers at the Oakland Airport continue to seek a fair process to decide if they want to form a union. They have called for a boycott of their shops, and have participated in several rallies over the past few months to bring attention to injustices and retaliatory firings. Workers have filed grievances at all levels of government, and met directly with Port Commissioners to stress the urgency of the situation.

This past week, the Port of Oakland concluded their investigation into alleged violations of the Living Wage Ordinance by several of the non-union employers. The Port’s investigation found many violations of the law, confirming the stories of nearly all of the workers who filed complaints. One positive result is that many workers will have the opportunity to cash out paid time off they should have received.

Hakima Arhab was terminated by the owners of Subway in what the Port found to be retaliation for filing a complaint. The only remedy recommended by the Port , however, is back pay for time she should have worked. So far, the Port is unwilling to demand that she be reinstated! What kind of precedent does that set?

The Port is unwilling to stand with Hakima. Will you?

RSVP at the Facebook event

UNITE HERE Local 2850, the union that represents two hundred fast food and retail employees of HMS Host at the Oakland International Airport, has put holiday season strike plans on hold as progress is made in contract negotiations. HMS Host operates food and retail concessions at Oakland Airport under various brand names, including Starbucks, Chili’s, Max’s Eatz and California Pizza Kitchen.

“My coworkers and I are hopeful that we can come to an agreement without the need for a strike but we remain united and ready to strike for a fair contract if needed. For me, maintaining affordable family medical for my family and especially my newborn daughter is worth fighting for,” said Michael Romulo, a cook at California Pizza Kitchen at the Oakland Airport, operated by HMS Host.

On November 14, 2012, UNITE HERE Local 2850 members working at the Oakland Airport took a strike authorization vote. The results were conclusive and overwhelming, demonstrating the workers’ commitment to fight for a fair contract. By a unanimous tally of 134 – 0, Oakland Airport food and retail workers voted to authorize a strike if necessary.

The Union is cautiously optimistic about the progress that has been made in negotiations over the HMS Host workers’ new contract, but important issues remain unresolved, including the cost of health care. While the UNITE HERE Local 2850 members at the airport have decided not to strike for the time being, workers remain ready to do so if necessary.

For More Information contact: Lian Alan at 510-219-6491 or Wei-Ling Huber at 510-219-6434.

Help us Make Picket Signs!

Tuesday, December 18, 6:00 – 8:00PM

ILWU Local 6 Union Hall, 99 Hegenberger Rd

Oakland Airport concessions workers have given HMS Host until the end of the day on Thursday, December 20 to come to a fair agreement in contract negotiations. Otherwise, Host workers will be ready to strike beginning on Friday.

So far in contract talks, HMS Host has proposed several significant takeaways.  These include having the employees pay for all increases in the cost for family medical coverage,  eliminating employees’ paid meal breaks, and freezing employees’ wages for the length of the contract.

We can’t tell you in advance the exact day workers may be going on strike. However, we will be able to tell you on the day of through email and Facebook. You can also pay attention to the news to hear about what is happening.

We will be holding a 12 noon rally as well as a 6pm rally outside the airport any day that workers are on strike. We need members of the community to show solidarity with the workers!

Thank you to all who have been out to our rallies and stood with the workers in their struggle for justice.  We hope you and your family enjoy the holiday season.

And of course, if we’re on strike when you fly through Oakland Airport, please avoid any struck shops and patronize Andale and Firewood instead – both have current contracts covering their employees.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Matt at 703-955-0075.

Thursday, December 20.  8:00am – 9:30am

Castlewood Country Club, Valley Course

Brothers and sisters, the fight at Castlewood is not over yet!  Yes, the workers are back on the job, but they have not yet received any back pay (which the union estimates to be $1.8 million) nor do they have a fair contract moving forward.

December 20th is the day before Castlewood would have to file an appeal, if they choose to continue dragging out the legal process with the National Labor Relations Board.  For those who missed it, an administrative law judge with the NLRB ruled back in August that Castlewood had been illegally locking out the workers for 2 years.

Our message is simple:  Pay your WORKERS not your lawyers!

We will have holiday themed snacks, and there may even be a guest appearance by the Grinch!

RSVP at our facebook event.  For questions, contact Matt at 703-955-0075.
Si se puede!

UNITE HERE! Local 2850

December 6, 4:00-5:30pm

Port of Oakland—540 Water Street

We will come together at the Port Commissioners meeting to, once again, tell the stories of the non-union food service workers at the Oakland Airport.

Union and non-union workers are standing together.  Come join us in the fight for justice.

Update on the Campaign

Non-union food service workers at the Oakland Airport continue to seek a fair process to decide if they want to form a union.  They have called for a boycott of their shops, and have participated in several rallies over the past few months to bring attention to injustices and retaliatory firings.  Workers have filed grievances with all levels of government, and met directly with Port Commissioners to stress the urgency of the situation.

At the same time, UNITE HERE Local 2850 members working in food and retail service at the Oakland Airport have been in ongoing contract negotiations with HMS Host.  Host has proposed a number of takeaways already.  On November 12, workers voted 134-0 to authorize a strike if necessary to win a fair contract.

Janitors and clerical workers represented by SEIU Local 1021 were in their own contract fight for a long time at the Port of Oakland.  Our members have stood with them in solidarity, and this past week the workers represented by SEIU won a fair contract.

Union and non-union workers are standing together to fight for a better future at the Oakland Airport.   These fights are about ensuring that jobs at the Airport are secure, good quality jobs, and that Airport workers are treated with respect and dignity.

Si se puede!

UNITE HERE! Local 2850

Joseph Cook, the owner of Jamba Juice at the Oakland Airport, fired union supporter Danielle Ramsey and disciplined one of her co-workers, Mesha Adams, earlier this month in what workers believe is a continuing pattern of antagonism towards them for standing up for their rights at work. Tell Oakland Airport Jamba Juice Owner Joseph Cook that we stand with Danielle!

TAKE ACTION NOW!

1) Call Joseph Cook at Centennial Management Corporation, 707-642-7562.

Mr. Cook does not have a direct extension, so please speak with Office Manager Kathy Madison at extension 303 and ask her to convey your message.

Sample call script: Hi, Ms. Madison. My name is ______ and I am calling from _______ for Joseph Cook. I wanted to voice my alarm at the recent actions Mr. Cook has taken against his workers at the Oakland Airport Jamba Juice, and to express my ongoing support for Danielle Ramsey, Mesha Adams and their co-workers. I will be honoring the boycott the workers have called for, until Mr. Cook gives Danielle her job back and agrees to a fair process for his workers to decide whether they want a union. The Oakland community will not stand idly by and watch as Mr. Cook undermines our core values of dignity and respect on the job. I’m urging Mr. Cook to do what’s right for his workers and Oakland.

Please email us at: lalan@unitehere.org to let us know if you make a call. Thanks!
2) March with Danielle and her co-workers on Friday Oct 26th from 11am to 1:30pm at Oakland International Airport Terminal 2 to educate the community about the retaliation and demand justice for Danielle and other fired workers now!

See the Facebook event.
3) Sign the Boycott Pledge if you haven’t already

Background

On June 27^th 2012, non-union concession workers at the Oakland Airport, including Danielle, several of her Jamba Juice co-workers, and workers from the other non-union concessions locations in the Airport, announced to their employers that they were seeking a fair process to decide whether to join a union. Around the same time, Danielle and Mesha filed charges against Jamba Juice for violations of the Oakland living wage ordinance. Since then workers have continued to seek a fair process to decide whether to have a union and have called on consumers to boycott the non-union concessions locations at the airport, including Jamba Juice.

Since Jamba Juice workers stood up for themselves, Jamba Juice has mounted an aggressive campaign toward its workers. Jamba Juice has sought security sanctions against workers who initially raised the issues in June, disciplined or fired workers, cut hours, and required workers to sit through anti-union captive audience meetings.

Stand with Danielle, Mesha and the rest of their Jamba Juice co-workers and tell Jamba Juice owners and management that Oakland won’t stand for these unjust practices. We hope to see you on Friday Oct 26th, from 11-1:30pm at the Oakland Airport Terminal 2 for an Action for Justice!

Check out our facebook page for some pictures of the first day back at work.

Thanks again,

Unite HERE Local 2850