Solidarity across borders: Hotel workers protest at Hyatt in India.

On April 3, 2013 the Hotel Employees Federation of India (HEFOI) and the IUF, our mutual Global Union Federation, held a demonstration at the Hyatt hotel in Mumbai (Bombay). A Hotel Investment Conference – South Asia (HICSA) was taking place inside the hotel, with a number of Presidents and CEOs of major global hotel chains participating, including Hyatt. There were around 200 people at the demonstration, and they got a response from Hyatt and HICSA. As the workers marched to face the road entering Hyatt's compound (yes, it's literally a compound, complete with security gate) the HICSA conference planners arrived and awaited the delegation. HEFOI leaders and workers conveyed their demands for a sustainable tourism industry that ensures the eradication of contract labor, the adoption of a 10% service charge for the workers and the rejection of Hyatt's bad US labor practices in India.. Click here to read more.

 

About International Affairs

The corporations that employ our members do not limit their business to North America alone. Many have operations or are headquartered internationally. To represent the North American employees of these giant multi-nationals effectively, UNITE HERE partners with unions and workers across the globe who deal with many of the same employers.

UNITE HERE has built strong working partnerships with unions worldwide, that helps us negotiate effectively for current members, and organize new members.

The benefit of international collaboration in dealing with labor issues locally and worldwide cannot be underestimated.

Workers around the world have similar goals – fair wages, affordable health care, rights and respect on the job. They also want independent, democratic, member-driven unions through which these goals can be achieved. By connecting workers globally in the same industries and with the same employers, those goals can become a reality.

Unions in different countries representing workers in one corporation achieve more by acting together.

On this page you will find links to Global Union Federations to which we are affiliated, information on global campaigns for workers’ rights and other issues with international significance.

Global Union Federations

• IndustriALL

• International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

• International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)

• UNI services

Information/News on Global Campaigns

• Labourstart: www.labourstart.org

Other Sites of Interest

• International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

• International Labour Organization (ILO)

• Labourstart: www.labourstart.org

Hyatt Campaign

• Solidarity across borders: Hotel workers protest at Hyatt in India. On April 3, 2013 the Hotel Employees Federation of India (HEFOI) held a demonstration at the Hyatt hotel in Mumbai (Bombay). A Hotel Investment Conference – South Asia (HICSA) was taking place inside the hotel, with a number of Presidents and CEOs of major global hotel chains participating, including Hyatt. There were around 200 people at the demonstration. Click here to read more.
• Another demonstration of support for the UNITE HERE global boycott took place in Goa, India on May Day 2012, by HEFOI, the Hotel Employees Federation of India. This follows the demonstration of over 225 workers in Chennai a few weeks ago. There are two Hyatt hotels in Goa. Click here for more information.

• "Hyatt Hurts!" Solidarity action by hotel workers in India

• Another solidarity action in support of Hyatt workers was held by the IUF affiliated NUWHRAIN, the hotel workers union in the Philippines.

• A Solidarity and Support Letter for Hyatt workers from the Israeli Union of Hoteliers

• Yogyakarta workers begin campaign for bargaining rights and job security at Hyatt Hotels Indonesia

Solidarity with UNITE HERE from around the Globe

• New Zealand Food & Service Workers Union Magazine solidarity article about Delaware North, "From Nashville to Wellywood the Song is "Solidarity Forever": (pdf: scroll to page 22)

Women hotel workers in Cambodia fight illegal mass firings

• Workers unfairly terminated for trade union organizing at the five star Angkor Village Hotel and Angkor Village Botanical Resort Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia, are fighting for their rights, their jobs and their union - and need your support.

CONTACT

Debbie Anderson, Director, International Affairs Department danderson@unitehere.org