Northeastern University Food Service Workers
Vote to Unionize
Chartwells workers overwhelmingly vote YES to join Boston’s Local 26
BOSTON- In the largest campus food service unionization in recent history, 400 Northeastern University dining hall workers overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining Boston’s Local 26.
Rallying with hundreds of students, Chartwells workers spoke about injustice they faced in the dining halls and kitchens last month. The workers conveyed the urgent need for a union as harassment and unfair treatment have created a hostile work environment. Last night’s vote was 299 to 44 in favor of joining Boston’s Local 26.
“I wanted this union to end the mistreatment and injustice we all face while working here,” said Angela Bello “It has been a long fight and we faced pressure from our bosses not to unionize but we came together and demanded fairness. All we want is to be treated with respect.”
Boston’s Local 26 represents 6,000 hospitality industry workers in the greater Boston area. Members include workers at hotels, restaurants, university food services, Boston Convention Centers, Fenway Park, Logan International Airport, and other companies throughout the city.
“Our city and community thrive when the people who live and work here are appreciated and valued,” said Brian Lang, President of Boston’s Local 26. “Along with the thousands of workers in our union, the Chartwells workers and Northeastern University share our commitment to create dignity and respect at the workplace with secure, well-paid jobs.”
The workers were organized with the help of a student group, Huskies Organizing With Labor (HOWL), a broad coalition of 24 campus groups. The students recently demanded that the University and Chartwells let the workers choose whether to unionize in an environment free of pressure and intimidation.
“The outpouring of support from Northeastern students, faculty, and community members helped encourage the workers to move forward,” said Lang. “As we work together in the future with Northeastern and our new union members, we will eliminate the abuse and disrespect that these men and women were subject to.”
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Education & Training Program – BEST Corp.
Mission – To provide individuals the education, skills and training to excel in the hospitality industry and in their personal lives.
Background – Local 26 Hotel Training Center (HTC) provides classes in English for Hospitality, literacy, and citizenship as well as certification skills training in On-Call Banquet Server, Busser/Server, Basic Culinary Arts, Food Safety, and Housekeeping. We also provide career counseling and career workshops. In January 2008, HTC opened a state of the art computer lab. Classes in computer skills as well as drop-in lab hours are offered. HTC arranges one-on-one tutoring for those students who don’t fit into our regularly scheduled classes. Our goal is to meet the educational needs of our clients through a myriad of classes and other services.
****WHY WE NEED A STRIKE AND ORGANIZING FUND****
We face a tremendous challenge.
In 2013 most Local 26 members
will be in contract negotiations. The
contracts for all hotel workers,
convention center workers, Fenway
Park workers and MIT workers –
5000 Local 26 members in all – will
expire. Click on the link above to read more.
Northeastern University Food Service Workers Vote to Unionize
Northeastern University Food Service Workers
Vote to Unionize
Chartwells workers overwhelmingly vote YES to join Boston’s Local 26
BOSTON- In the largest campus food service unionization in recent history, 400 Northeastern University dining hall workers overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining Boston’s Local 26.
Rallying with hundreds of students, Chartwells workers spoke about injustice they faced in the dining halls and kitchens last month. The workers conveyed the urgent need for a union as harassment and unfair treatment have created a hostile work environment. Last night’s vote was 299 to 44 in favor of joining Boston’s Local 26.
“I wanted this union to end the mistreatment and injustice we all face while working here,” said Angela Bello “It has been a long fight and we faced pressure from our bosses not to unionize but we came together and demanded fairness. All we want is to be treated with respect.”
Boston’s Local 26 represents 6,000 hospitality industry workers in the greater Boston area. Members include workers at hotels, restaurants, university food services, Boston Convention Centers, Fenway Park, Logan International Airport, and other companies throughout the city.
“Our city and community thrive when the people who live and work here are appreciated and valued,” said Brian Lang, President of Boston’s Local 26. “Along with the thousands of workers in our union, the Chartwells workers and Northeastern University share our commitment to create dignity and respect at the workplace with secure, well-paid jobs.”
The workers were organized with the help of a student group, Huskies Organizing With Labor (HOWL), a broad coalition of 24 campus groups. The students recently demanded that the University and Chartwells let the workers choose whether to unionize in an environment free of pressure and intimidation.
“The outpouring of support from Northeastern students, faculty, and community members helped encourage the workers to move forward,” said Lang. “As we work together in the future with Northeastern and our new union members, we will eliminate the abuse and disrespect that these men and women were subject to.”
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Your New Pension Plan – Welcome from the Trustees
On behalf of the Greater Boston Hotel Employees Local 26 Trust Funds, we would like to welcome you to the pension plan. This innovative plan is the result of much hard work with one goal: to provide a secure retirement for you. Click on the above link to read about it.
The Fallacy of Tuna Fish Economics
In Economics 10 lecture last Wednesday, Professor Andrei Shleifer ’82 waxed poetic about the macroeconomic implications of tuna fish sandwiches. According to Professor Shleifer, Harvard is analogous to the U.S. government, and Harvard University Dining Services, which runs the Science Center Greenhouse Cafe, is analogous to a government agency. Since tuna fish sandwiches at the Business School, where food services are contracted out, are cheaper and better than those at the Science Center, the dining hall workers’ union is directly responsible for rising tuition costs. Thus, both universities and government should privatize or contract out as many public services as possible.