GM Place committee leader, Brad McLean, addresses 700 UNITE HERE delegates in Chicago

UNITE HERE’s International Convention took place in Chicago from June 29 to July 1. Local 40 sent 14 delegates, representing hotel, food service and airport workers. One of the convention highlights came on Day 2 when Brad McLean, a key leader from GM Place, addressed the 700 delegates. McLean described the actions and delegations he and his co-workers organized leading up to a one-day strike against Aramark. The Vancouver victory was an important step in raising standards for food service contracts across North America. McLean, along with food service leaders from many other cities, celebrated their victories and vowed to continue the fight to raise standards.

The Local 40 organizing committee at GM Place left the bargaining table victorious in the early morning hours of March 20, 2009. GM Place workers won significant wage increases, real job security–including during the 2010 Olympics when GM Place becomes Hockey Place–more money for dental and a path toward future medical improvements. But most of all, they won real respect from the company. The key respect issue was expanding the women’s locker room at GM Place. Now, hundreds of women can change with dignity instead of squeezing like sardines into a cramped room.

The victory took months of organizing, bargaining without a contract, and an action plan: delegations to management, rallies and finally a one-day strike. But according to workers it came down to one important thing: the Committee. Leaders from every department joined the Organizing Committee to lead their co-workers through the fight. Brad McLean, a catering server for 13 years and shop steward, said one of the most powerful moments was a delegation to the general manager. “The first time, there was a only a few of us, ” he said, referring to an early delegation the group organized, “but then when you turn around and you realize there are 200 of your co-workers behind you, it feels good!”

Evelyn Cabangbang, a cashier for 10 years, knows how far GM Place workers have come. “Two years ago, they thought I was crazy for getting involved, but now they see, they respect what I did…It all comes down to unity. Don’t be afraid to stand up and fight. Just do it!”

On the picket line, March 13

On March 13, hundreds of Aramark workers walked off the job in a one-day strike, shutting down most of the food and beverage concessions on a hockey night at GM Place. Aramark workers were joined on the boisterous picket line by Local 40 members from Coast, HIR and GVHEA hotels, as well as Host and Cara Flight Kitchen members from the Vancouver Airport.  In addition to manning a strong picket line, workers passed out small bags of peanuts to hockey fans as they entered the arena. “Aramark pays peanuts,” read the insert in the bag. “This might be the only food you get tonight,” strikers advised hockey fans.

Aramark sisters and brothers from Vancouver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Oakland and Boston support each other in the fight for respect and high contract standards.

750 Aramark workers at GM Place in Vancouver were fighting to get Aramark to show respect and stop stalling bargaining the new contract. Aramark had been delaying for months. So workers at GM Place enlisted the help of their sisters and brothers working for Aramark in convention centres and stadiums all over North America. On January 12, Aramark committee leaders from Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles and Oakland came to Vancouver to join GM Place committee leaders at the bargaining table. A key leader from Boston was also present, representing Aramark workers at Fenway Park, who were about to begin their own contract bargaining. Together, the GM Place committee leaders along with Aramark leaders from afar delivered a powerful message to the company at the bargaining table. After delivering the message in Vancouver, the supporting Aramark leaders returned to their home cities to tell their co-workers about the fight in Vancouver. Delegations, buttons and leaflets supporting GM Place workers quickly caught fire in the cities down south.