Typical Employee Handbook

Hotel owners and managers don't like having a union because they don't want to have to sign a legally-binding contract with their employees.

Non-union hotel workers have no contract, and that means management can do pretty much anything it wants to the employees.

Most non-union hotels give their employees an "Employee Handbook," and usually, somewhere in the handbook, there is wording that states that the handbook is NOT A CONTRACT and that management has the right to modify anything in the handbook whenever it wants.

Your Union Contract

A union contract is a binding legal document, enforceable under the law. A union contract can:

Protect scheduling rights (prevent management from changing workers schedules without their consent, pay workers a premium for less than a full-time schedule, pay workers for a full day when they are scheduled so they cannot be sent home when business is slow, etc.)

Ensure fairness with a grievance and arbitration system (the Union has the right to challenge decisions made by management to fire or discipline an employee, management must prove its decision was justified, workers have experienced representatives and lawyers to prepare and present their case, management has to let the union have access to all relevant evidence, decisions are made by an impartial arbitrator who is not controlled by management and management is legally required to obey the arbitrators decision)

Provide premium pay (for overtime, for room attendants who clean extra rooms, for night shift work, for part-time workers, etc.)

Protect workers during layoffs (other workers cannot do the work of a laid off worker, management cannot lay off and recall workers more than three times in a month, layoffs must start with the newest employees and recalls must start with the most senior, etc.)

Ensure reasonable workloads (workers cannot be disciplined for failing to complete an unreasonable workload, management cannot create unfair job combinations between departments, management cannot add new duties to a worker's job description without negotiating with the Union, etc.)

Provide excellent medical benefits through a Benefit Fund (no co-insurance, co-pays or deductibles, all workers who work at least 56 hours per month are covered, all family members are covered)

Provide the security of a Pension Plan (workers pay nothing for their pension benefits, benefits for workers with 25 years of service who retire at 65)

Provide additional benefits (including Pre-Paid Legal, Disability, College Scholarships, 401(k) plan, Training)