Waikiki Beach Marriott & Ramada Plaza workers ratify their contracts
Waikiki Beach Marriott workers voted yes on their new contract for a better future
Last week was full of victories for Local 5 workers. On October 16, Waikiki Beach Marriott workers voted to approve a 5-year contract with a 129-115 vote. Their new contract guarantees increased wages for tipped and nontipped workers, improved successorship and subcontracting language, the ability to decide how much of their money will go toward pension and other benefits, and more.
“We did the right thing by voting yes for our new contract. I believe it will provide us with the biggest raises in years,” says Marriott housekeeper Rosemarie Doles, “Even better than that, we get to stand as one union with our brothers and sisters from Hilton, Hyatt, and the Sheraton properties.”
Workers at the Ramada Plaza celebrate their new contract.
On October 18, with a unanimous vote, Ramada Plaza employees ratified an 8-year contract with management after working three years without a contract or wage increases. The contract begins retroactively in December 2010 and will end in December 31, 2018.
Ramada Plaza workers will receive significant wage increases for the next five years and paid union leave for leadership development and training, among other things. 100% of the workers were ready to strike if an agreement were to not have been reached, but the workers’ unity and resilience pushed management to an agreement to avoid a strike.
This is a significant victory for Ramada Plaza’s workers. The new contract ensures that Ramada Plaza will maintain the Waikiki standard that has led to the prosperity of Hawaii’s tourism industry.
