UNITE HERE Local 2 hotel workers vote to strike

By a vote of 3139 to 88 (97.3%), workers at 14 San Francisco
hotels have voted to authorize a strike if their negotiating
committee is unable to move management to sign a fair contract.
77% of eligible members turned out to vote. These members have
been working without a contract since August 14th, while the
hotel corporations have continued to take a hard line in
negotations. In addition, 1271 workers from dozens of other San
Francisco hotels turned out to sign a solidarity pledge --
committing to support their sisters and brothers in the event of
a strike or lockout.

One month after the expiration of Local 2's citywide contract,
the MEG continues to attack workers' health care benefits, and
is trying to weaken San Francisco workers by dividing them from
hotel workers throughout North America. On Labor Day, over a
thousand hotel workers turned out to demonstrate for a new
contract that expires in 2006. Bargaining is scheduled for
today, Wednesday, September 15.

The 14 hotels affected by this strike vote are part of the San
Francisco Multi-Employer Group , which, with about 4000 workers,
makes up about a third of the city's hotel industry. The MEG
includes the following hotels:

Argent Hotel
Hilton
Mark Hopkins
Crowne Plaza
Holiday Inn Civic Center
Omni
Fairmont
Holiday Inn Express
Palace
Four Seasons
Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf
Westin St. Francis
Grand Hyatt
Hyatt Regency

Please stay tuned to
http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/D1aol-s1VPzy/ for up-to-date
information.