Video: 2014 year in review
2014 was a great year for Boston’s hotel and food service workers. Some of our victories and campaigns in this 4-minute video.
2015 wage and benefits allocation meeting
There will be a Local 26 Membership Meeting on Thursday, January 22, 2015 at 12:00 noon and 5:00 pm at the Union Hall to discuss and vote on the 2015 contract year economic allocation proposal.
Our program to maintain quality and affordable healthcare, to improve our ability to retire with dignity, and to have the best wage increases in history is on track.
This affects the majority of members in hotels, the Convention centers, MIT, the Boston Globe.
Housekeepers, Hotel Commonwealth agree to changes to keep work and rooms safe
Housekeepers at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston’s Kenmore Square have reached an agreement with hotel management that will ease 
the workload of housekeepers who attend to rooms with kitchenettes. Housekeepers at the hotel—which overlooks Fenway Park—are members of Boston’s UNITE HERE Local 26.
The union has negotiated contracts with 28 Boston-area hotels. The contracts provide protections for housekeepers to ensure that workload doesn’t lead to pain and injuries.
According to a 2006 survey of housekeepers by UNITE HERE, 91% of housekeepers surveyed said they experience workplace pain. Additional amenities are heralded by hotel guests, but can pose potential threats to housekeepers who race to do more in less time. The hotel, managed by Sage Hospitality, installed rooms with kitchenettes to better serve hotel guests who wish to cook.
Union leaders requested bargaining and the hotel came to an agreement that will allow housekeepers to be assigned less rooms if they need to clean a kitchenette room that has had a guest check-out. Housekeepers will clean the same number of rooms during days where a guest stays over. Housekeepers report that this will give them the time needed to thoroughly clean and sanitize the kitchens.
Union hotels matter to Roxbury residents
Kalila Barnett of Alternatives for Community and Environment noted that the Local 26 hospitality union starts workers at $18 per hour with benefits…“The hotel chosen by Urbanica is non-union, and will pay $5 less than union standard,” Barnett said. “I’m wondering, why is Roxbury being treated differently?”
Video: Mel King, Mayor Walsh react to Local 26 diversity of hiring initiative
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and long-time activist Mel King remark on the establishment of the city-wide diversity in the hospitality industry task force formed by Local 26 union contracts with major Boston hotels. The remarks were made at the announcement of the task force this summer.
“This is a model that you have developed here that says really clearly that change is possible,” said Mel King.