CHICAGO— The contract settlement reached Sept. 3, 2002 between the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) Locals 1 and 450 was ratified Sept. 5 by union members (892 yes, 153 no). The new four-year contract includes improvements in wages, healthcare and job protection language. Contract highlights include $3.27 in raises over the four-year agreement for non-tipped workers. This represents a 37% wage increase for union housekeepers. The overall economic package increase is more than 54%. Worker contributions for family medical coverage will decrease from $85 per month to $30 per month over the life of the contract. Employer contributions to the health care fund will increase 94% over the four-year contract. In addition, the health care benefits will improve in the first year with an expanded network of hospitals covered at 100%, and will further improve in the second year with an expanded network of covered doctors. The union also won four paid sick days over the life of the contract. The previous contract had none. Other contract highlights include immigrant rights language and subcontracting and successorship language which will provide a high degree of job security. In addition, the union won improvements in bereavement leave, jury duty pay, and one paid 15-minute break per day.
