Working people across the United States have stepped up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
UNITE HERE Local 8 reached a tentative contract agreement that raises wages and restores automatic daily room cleaning at the Hilton and Duniway hotels in downtown Portland. The contract covers about 125 workers across the two hotels, including housekeepers, cooks, bellhops and reception clerks. The contract would provide a 50-cent-an-hour raise every February and August though Feb. 1, 2027, for non-tipped workers and includes retroactive raises dating back to Aug. 1, 2022.
Andi Tiffany, a cook at the Duniway, said low wages in the kitchen have led to high turnover, chronic short staffing and increased workloads for those who stick around. “We’ve lost a lot of really excellent cooks from the kitchen because we wore them out so quickly,” Tiffany said.