WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.040 --> 00:00:02.600 It's with Dan Ray. 2 00:00:03.279 --> 00:00:05.639 I'm telling Boston. 3 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:10.759 Radio, all right, there is a big, big strike going 4 00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:18.960 on at several Boston hotels, a very public strike at 5 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:23.800 some of the city's most expensive hotels. And I've read 6 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:26.839 a lot about the strike, but today I thought it 7 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.280 would be good to talk to a member of the 8 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:34.439 union to find out what's at stake there. There seems 9 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:39.520 to be some legitimate claims that these strikers, these these 10 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.719 union members have I've never spoken with my guest before. 11 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:46.960 I think he's busy today on the picket line. I 12 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:49.600 want to welcome Isaac smith Kauer. He is a cook 13 00:00:49.600 --> 00:00:54.759 at the Omni Boston Seaport Hotel. Isaac, welcome to Nightside. 14 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:57.840 How are you, sir, I'm not doing too bad. How 15 00:00:57.840 --> 00:00:58.479 about yourself? 16 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:00.719 Then, well I'm you and fine. 17 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.120 You guys got a strike on your hands, so I 18 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:06.480 want to know a little more about it, just to 19 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:11.120 introduce it to the audience. Our reporters were out there 20 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:15.439 today and I just want to play one of the 21 00:01:15.599 --> 00:01:20.680 reports that Hyle Shaffle filed just as a table cetter. 22 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:23.519 So just hang with us for one minute. 23 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:23.719 Here. 24 00:01:23.760 --> 00:01:25.840 We'll listen to cut number twenty three and I'll be 25 00:01:25.959 --> 00:01:28.040 right back with you. ISAA cut number twenty. 26 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:29.359 Three sounds good? 27 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:32.280 Close to seven hundred Omni Parker workers walking off the job. 28 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:34.760 Boston sotel strike is more than doubled overnight. 29 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:38.319 You know, everything is cruently Expensive'll pay the rent, pay 30 00:01:38.319 --> 00:01:40.319 the billst and and everybody to. 31 00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:44.519 God is fight marta housekeeper joined dozens of our coworkers 32 00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:47.640 at the Seaport Omnium to demand a contract and higher wages. 33 00:01:47.680 --> 00:01:50.560 Your night here Local twenty six President Carlos Rmios, there's 34 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:52.439 a pay month for the workers. Will mean the difference 35 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:55.040 between staying in Boston and being forced out. 36 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:58.280 If they keep saying make them pay, make them pay. 37 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:01.560 They're demanding at the hotels step forward and reach a 38 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:04.840 contract that gives them significant ways increases. Another housekeeper I 39 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:07.120 talked to was I rate over needed to work multiple 40 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:08.400 jobs just to cover rent. 41 00:02:08.479 --> 00:02:12.479 You cannot leave with just one job, just one job 42 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:13.360 should be none. 43 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:15.680 There's no end insight to the strike, and union leaders 44 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:18.199 say more hotels could be added at any time. Kyle 45 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:20.479 Shaffle to Beds Boston's News Radio. 46 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:22.919 All right, so that's sort of a table set of 47 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.960 for this, But let's go back in a little bit 48 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:30.479 of history here I guess the union came to an agreement. 49 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:34.400 It was the twenty eighteen was the last time a 50 00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:35.439 contract was signed. 51 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:41.159 Uh, yeah, that's correct. That's actually before I was in 52 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:45.280 the union though I'm a baby union member. But yeah, 53 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:47.759 so this is my this is my first contract fight. 54 00:02:47.879 --> 00:02:49.719 But yeah, it's been it's been a while. 55 00:02:50.159 --> 00:02:51.560 Sure, okay, no problem. 56 00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:54.240 Hey none of us were alive when George Washington was 57 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.479 the first president, but we all know about that, so 58 00:02:56.639 --> 00:02:57.400 no problem. 59 00:02:57.960 --> 00:02:59.000 So that's right. 60 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:03.319 Is mine standing is that when the contract expired, it 61 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:06.520 was during the time of COVID, and that there was 62 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:09.759 an agreement to extend the contract for a couple of years. 63 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:11.639 I just want to make sure, just in terms of 64 00:03:11.879 --> 00:03:16.199 setting the the history here that I'm fairly close to accurate. 65 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.159 Is that true as you as you understand. 66 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:22.000 It now, that that is true as I understand it. 67 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.560 We came to an agreement with the hotels to you know, 68 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:29.800 kind of maintain, maintain our contract and our benefits, but 69 00:03:29.919 --> 00:03:32.039 not push for two more because you know, you can't. 70 00:03:32.039 --> 00:03:34.759 You couldn't stay there at a hotel during a during 71 00:03:34.759 --> 00:03:37.680 the global pandemic. It was not a good time for travel. 72 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:38.199 Tough time. 73 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:39.759 Yeah, So now the hotel. 74 00:03:39.879 --> 00:03:44.240 Now that crisis seems to have passed, okay, and the 75 00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:46.439 hotels are back pretty full. 76 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:49.280 How many union. 77 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:54.879 Members does Local twenty six represent in Boston? And is 78 00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.159 it every hotel or just certain hotels that have the 79 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:02.000 union membership the members have decided to join the union. 80 00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:04.599 It's not every hotel in Boston, correct. 81 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:08.439 So no, it's not every We represent a lot of 82 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:13.800 the hotels in Boston. And I honestly can't say exactly 83 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:16.680 how many members you represent. I do know that right 84 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:21.959 now there are about thirteen hundred of us striking. But yeah, 85 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:26.639 it's not every hotel is union. We represent most of 86 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.959 the hotels in the city, though, And it is just 87 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:32.680 about it is about, you know, having a union is 88 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:34.879 in the hands of the people. So it's about who 89 00:04:35.199 --> 00:04:37.399 you know signs up and works for. Is it works 90 00:04:37.399 --> 00:04:39.240 with us and votes for the union? You know what 91 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:39.519 I mean? 92 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:43.199 Yeah, absolutely so, so my understanding. 93 00:04:43.240 --> 00:04:45.360 And again I've followed this from Afar and that's why 94 00:04:45.399 --> 00:04:47.519 I appreciate you being on tonight because it'll give us 95 00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:50.839 a better sense of what's going on. That the union 96 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:55.240 has taken a couple of steps excuse me there, taken 97 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.160 a couple of steps over the last few weeks, in 98 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:01.079 the last couple of months to I want to bring 99 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:05.920 this work issue out into public and for a while 100 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:12.079 certain hotels there were work stoppages, but this activity of 101 00:05:12.079 --> 00:05:16.319 the last couple of days has intensified. So how many hotels, 102 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:21.000 how many how many hotels employees or unions at how 103 00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:24.279 many hotels were on we're on strike today on the 104 00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:26.680 picket line? Is it four that were that were that 105 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:27.720 were impacted today? 106 00:05:27.879 --> 00:05:31.120 Yes, so there's uh, there's four hotels on strike today. 107 00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:34.560 It's both of the Omnis and two of the two 108 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:37.000 of the Hiltons that are on hotel and it's about 109 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:40.959 thirteen hundred members out right now. I was on the 110 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.240 picket line earlier today. You know, there's it's always a 111 00:05:44.279 --> 00:05:47.240 good time at the Omni Seaport picket line. We keep it, 112 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:48.879 we keep we keep it lit over there. 113 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:54.120 Yeah, okay, So what has been the reaction of Obviously 114 00:05:54.199 --> 00:05:57.639 most of the people at the Omni Seaport are not 115 00:05:57.759 --> 00:06:00.639 your average Bostonians. There are people who are come here 116 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:04.360 to attend an event or for business purposes or to 117 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:08.920 become tourists. Are you getting support, you know, at least 118 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.120 verbal support from from people who are checking into the hotels. 119 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:16.560 Yeah, you know, it's a mixed bag. There's definitely people 120 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:19.000 who I've definitely seen a lot of support from a 121 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:21.839 lot of people. I've personally talked to people saying that, 122 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:24.600 you know, we're fighting a good fight. This is where 123 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:28.480 it starts. Stuff like that, you know, But also, and 124 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.319 I don't One of the things that I want to 125 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:34.560 make clear is that you know, this strike is not 126 00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:37.800 against the guests, it's against the hotel. So I do feel. 127 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.879 I feel very bad when you know, I see I 128 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.120 see we're making noise and like, you know, I see 129 00:06:44.120 --> 00:06:46.399 a kid covering their ears, I see people who haven't 130 00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:50.079 slept very well. But you know, because I'm not in 131 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:54.959 hospitality to not get to not make people feel good, 132 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:57.639 you understand me, Like, like I care about the customers, 133 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:02.079 I care about the guests, right, So it's rough to see. 134 00:07:02.120 --> 00:07:05.439 And so I understand people being annoyed. You know, they 135 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:07.759 spend so much money on these rooms. You know, we 136 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:10.040 had a woman, we had a woman come talk to 137 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:13.639 us today talking about she was spending nearly nine hundred 138 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.399 dollars a night and could and had never crossed the 139 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:18.519 picket line in her life and didn't want to. It 140 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:22.120 was very very apologetic about it. You know, so I 141 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:25.120 understand people being upset and mad, But what people need 142 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:26.959 to understand and realize at the end of the day 143 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:28.959 is that we're not try We don't want to be 144 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:31.360 out here ruining people's stay. We don't want to be 145 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:33.639 out here disturbing people's stay. We would love to be 146 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.839 in there providing the amazing service that you know, I 147 00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:39.879 know that me and my coworkers delivered. We'd much rather 148 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:42.480 be doing that. But we're just at a point where 149 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:44.959 it's like, if we this is what it takes for 150 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.160 the company to even listen to us. You know, they 151 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:51.000 we we've we've been open negotiations since April, and you know, 152 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:54.759 we've seen very little movement forward on the on the 153 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:56.120 part of the companies. 154 00:07:56.759 --> 00:07:59.160 When we get back, Isaac would have liked to talk 155 00:07:59.160 --> 00:08:00.800 to you about and again, I don't know how much 156 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:03.279 how specific you can be, but I'd love to find 157 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:07.240 out a little bit about what the current wages are, 158 00:08:08.000 --> 00:08:12.680 if the wages differentiated between I understand you're a cook, 159 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:19.680 if I'm not mistaken, correct, Yeah, okay, so I don't 160 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.600 know if you're compensated more than all other union members, 161 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:27.360 if the compensation depends upon what job you feel or 162 00:08:27.399 --> 00:08:30.680 whether or not it's across the board, And what are 163 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:33.919 the requests that the union is making, which I'm sure 164 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:37.840 you believe are more than reasonable. And how close you 165 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.840 are to this this weekend. Someone reminded me today that 166 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:44.879 is the head of the Child's weekend, and so there 167 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.279 are a lot of people coming into Boston, and if 168 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:52.399 the strike is still going on this weekend, that's going 169 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:55.360 to have a real impact on the hotels. And I 170 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:58.320 think that the pressure that you're bringing to bear may 171 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:03.320 may help cause the strike to be to be finished. 172 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:05.840 I'm sure you'd prefer to be in the hotel then 173 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:07.919 on the picket line. We'll take a we'll take a break. 174 00:09:07.960 --> 00:09:11.559 My guest right now is a member of the Boston 175 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:17.320 Hotel union that is on strike. It's Unite here Local 176 00:09:17.399 --> 00:09:21.919 twenty six, Isaac Smith Kawa, a cook at the Omni 177 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.519 Boston Seaport Hotel. I've read a lot a lot about this, 178 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.919 and I'm hoping that Isaac will be able to share 179 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:33.320 some of the specifics and how far apart everyone is here. 180 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:36.159 I haven't talked to him earlier today because he was 181 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:39.000 on the picket line. So I'm asking him questions that 182 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:42.679 this has not been These are not prepared questions that 183 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:46.440 I've submitted. I'm really just a search for information, and 184 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:48.919 I think Isaac's been pretty forthcoming so far, and I 185 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:49.840 hope will continue to be. 186 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:51.639 We'll be back on Nightside. If you'd like to. 187 00:09:51.679 --> 00:09:55.679 Join the conversation, feel free six one seven, two, five, 188 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:58.279 four ten thirty or six one seven, nine three one 189 00:09:58.360 --> 00:09:59.960 ten thirty. My name is Dan Roy and this is 190 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:01.159 night Side. 191 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.039 Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World 192 00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:08.279 night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio. 193 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:12.600 My guest is Isaac Smith cow Op. He is a 194 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.559 cook in Boston, a member of the union that is 195 00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:20.039 on strike here in the city, has been on strike 196 00:10:20.120 --> 00:10:22.120 for some time now. He's a cook at the Army 197 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:25.720 Boston Seaport Hotel. So, so, Isaac, a couple of questions, 198 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:30.679 if I could. Everyone's in the union, but are people 199 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:33.840 treated differently by the hotels? Are there, for example, the 200 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:37.360 cooks make more money than the folks who are outside, 201 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:40.440 or you know, the luggage people or the desk people. 202 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:42.799 Who does the union cover at a hotel? At the 203 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:46.320 hotels here in Boston where you have organized how many 204 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:50.159 different positions, do you folks represent. 205 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:55.840 You know, it's it depends hotel to hotel. Certain hotels 206 00:10:56.039 --> 00:11:02.039 are every department is unionized, hotel not. Not every department 207 00:11:02.120 --> 00:11:06.519 is unionized, but they do have the ability to sign 208 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:10.399 cards and join the union. So it's really it's really 209 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:13.759 kind of case by case. It depends on the way 210 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:15.759 the individual contract is written. 211 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.399 Okay, so as a cook, as a cook, do you 212 00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:27.000 earn more money as a cook than let's say, someone 213 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:31.000 who's on the the cleaning staff, the folks who do 214 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:33.919 the very important work of cleaning rooms and getting them ready, 215 00:11:34.080 --> 00:11:37.080 you know, fresh and clean for new guests, or is 216 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:41.600 there a discrepancy there or does everyone make the same 217 00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:43.919 amount of money based upon how long they've worked at 218 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:44.440 the hotel. 219 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:51.799 Everyone's compensated very similarly. And I'd also like to say that, 220 00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:55.759 I mean, every job in the hotel is important. Every 221 00:11:55.879 --> 00:12:02.519 every single every single worker functions to make that to make. 222 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.399 If you get to the hotel and your room isn't 223 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.320 made up, you got to sit in the lobby and wait. 224 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:07.879 Or if you get to the. 225 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:10.519 Room and the and the room hasn't been made up 226 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:12.960 or properly, and you know, you walk out of the 227 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:14.600 room and you say, I don't want to go in there. 228 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:21.720 So how far apart uh all is the union from 229 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:25.519 the hotels. I assume the hoteltels that you manage your 230 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:29.559 negotiations with all the hotels together. You're not negotiating your 231 00:12:29.639 --> 00:12:32.480 contract at the Omni Seaport, and someone else is in 232 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.080 some other group of is negotiating and contract at the 233 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:40.919 Omni Parker House, the the the Omni park Plaza. If 234 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.320 if I assume that it's a combined the uniony that 235 00:12:44.360 --> 00:12:47.159 gets a contract and everybody goes back to work. 236 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:49.519 It's not like they're gonna go hotel by hotel. 237 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:54.440 So we are all standing in solidarity with each other, 238 00:12:54.519 --> 00:12:59.159 but it's not exactly the same hotel the same contract 239 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.120 for each hotel. So, but what we are fighting for 240 00:13:02.240 --> 00:13:06.879 is our five core demands, which is a record pay increase, 241 00:13:07.799 --> 00:13:10.639 more than has ever been achieved in our locals history. 242 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:14.480 Another core demand is to maintain our health insurance at 243 00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:17.360 the same price that it's at because you know, the 244 00:13:17.360 --> 00:13:20.240 health insurance plan that we have has been hard fought 245 00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:24.399 by union members even before me, and it's constantly under attack, 246 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:28.759 so we need to maintain that. We're looking to fix 247 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:32.399 the issue, fix the issues in housekeeping, because like you said, 248 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:38.159 the housekeepers are doing insanely important work without with with 249 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:41.200 no rooms, there's no hotels. And with the no housekeepers, 250 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:44.120 there's no rooms, and they have been overworked and overloaded 251 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:49.080 since since COVID, So we're looking to fix that. We're 252 00:13:49.120 --> 00:13:53.759 looking to increase our pension so my older brothers and 253 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:57.159 sisters and siblings in the union are able to retire 254 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:59.600 with dignity. You know, they work hard to make sure 255 00:13:59.639 --> 00:14:04.120 that every person who comes visit Boston is made to 256 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:06.559 feel special and care for, and they should be able 257 00:14:06.600 --> 00:14:09.759 to they should be able to experience their golden years 258 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:14.039 with prosperity and dignity. And the last thing that we're 259 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:18.440 fighting for is our more control over the hiring practices 260 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:24.559 because the hotels have been understaffing since COVID. You know, 261 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:29.159 our staffing numbers are similar to COVID times, but you 262 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:32.279 know we don't have those restrictions no more, and we're 263 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:36.360 making way more money than they was making during COVID, 264 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:39.519 so there's no reason for that. And also a severance 265 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:43.519 deal to further protect the further protect our members if 266 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:47.600 they need to, if there's a situation where there are layoffs. 267 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:51.639 Okay, so let's go all of those. 268 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:56.559 Those concerns are vitally important, but at the core of 269 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:01.000 any contract negotiations always is going to be the money. 270 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:06.840 So give me, if you would, an approximation, you know, 271 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:10.080 an honest approximation. You seem like an honest guy. How 272 00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:13.960 much does the average hotel worker who does all this 273 00:15:14.039 --> 00:15:18.679 hard work, which includes again housekeeping, you know, cooking, making 274 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:21.120 sure that the food comes out on time and that 275 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.559 everyone's satisfied with their meals, to the people who greet 276 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:26.679 people at the door when they come in and carry 277 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:30.759 their luggage and make sure that they're well received. What 278 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:34.320 does the average hotel worker make at one of the 279 00:15:34.360 --> 00:15:37.480 major hotels in Boston that's in the union. Approximately. 280 00:15:38.200 --> 00:15:39.759 I'm gonna tell you what it is, man, I'm gonna 281 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:42.799 tell you it's not enough, brother, Like at the end 282 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:45.399 of the day, like the majority of members all have 283 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:48.360 two jobs work amount of overtime. 284 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:50.919 No, I understand that, and I respect that, but can 285 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.720 you give me a rough number? Is it ten dollars 286 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:56.440 an hour, twenty dollars an hour? What sort of a 287 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:58.600 range are we talking about here? Because I think it's 288 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.919 important for people to know that in a day when 289 00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:06.720 you know, money doesn't go as far as it used to. Approximately, 290 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:10.240 what's what's the range that that the And I haven't 291 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:12.440 seen this in the in the newspapers, which is to 292 00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.519 me frustrating because I want to know how strongly I 293 00:16:15.559 --> 00:16:19.279 want to support the workers. 294 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:23.279 Well, I mean you should just support the workers anyway. 295 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:26.399 Right, No, I understand, I'll figure that out, Isaac. I'm 296 00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:28.039 not being a wise guy. And if you don't want 297 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:30.559 to answer that question, that's fine, you can say that. 298 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.200 But I think it would be in the union's interest 299 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:35.759 if you said to me, hey, Dan, believe it or not, 300 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.559 the average person who works at one of these five 301 00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:42.480 star hotels in Boston that we represented that we're striking. 302 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:44.519 Against now makes X. Just to put it in terms 303 00:16:44.519 --> 00:16:46.200 that people can understand. 304 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:53.279 Well, I mean we're making you know, it's like around 305 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:57.039 twenty like the twenties area, you know. And I think 306 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.480 just to put in perspective, right like, uh, to speak 307 00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:03.519 about the dude who owns my hotel, This is a 308 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:06.279 man whose net worth has gone up almost one and 309 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:10.240 a half billion dollars over the course of your hotel 310 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:16.599 three Robert Rolling, Robert Rolling, Right. 311 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:20.400 Then I assume you work at the Omni seaports, So 312 00:17:20.440 --> 00:17:21.279 that's who he's talking about. 313 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:25.119 Yeah, he is, he's the owner of all the Omni hotels. Well, 314 00:17:25.400 --> 00:17:27.079 you know, this is a man, This is a man 315 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:30.720 whose net worth has gone up by almost one and 316 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.200 a half billion dollars right over the course of one year, 317 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.240 you know, twenty twenty three to twenty twenty four. If 318 00:17:37.279 --> 00:17:41.240 you break that down, right, that's roughly forty four dollars 319 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:44.240 every second. So just just think about how much money 320 00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:49.160 he's made during this conversation, right while we have members. 321 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:51.839 You know, you don't have to be struggling. 322 00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:54.079 You know, Isaac, that's an interesting stat You don't have 323 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.079 to convince me on that. So now my question that 324 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:59.400 I want to get to is if the average hotel 325 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:02.759 workers and somewhere in the twenties, I'm just gonna round 326 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:04.759 it and say, twenty five dollars. 327 00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:08.039 An hour, what is the You said you want a record. 328 00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:11.079 Increase, which which I respect, uh, in which the hotel 329 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:15.319 should respect. How much is the is the union asking for? 330 00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:19.960 And is the hotel at least responding with a counteroffer 331 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.640 or are they just just sitting across the table and 332 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:23.799 offering nothing back. 333 00:18:25.240 --> 00:18:29.359 I mean, the hotel's counter offers have been like very disrespectful. 334 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:31.839 You know, some of the counter offers that they have 335 00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:36.279 that they have offered actually amount to a paid decrease 336 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:39.440 because we'd have to it would increase our how much 337 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:41.440 we pay for healthcare health Okay. 338 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:42.960 I get that. I get that. So what what are 339 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.039 you guys looking for? 340 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:46.640 And I and I'm not sure what What is the 341 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.079 normal term of a contract? It is normally a three 342 00:18:49.160 --> 00:18:52.359 year contract or a four year contract. What's the normal 343 00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.279 contract length? 344 00:18:54.279 --> 00:18:58.480 So our contract is roughly four years? Okay, but like 345 00:18:58.599 --> 00:19:01.039 like we talked about earlier, we've had the contract we 346 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:03.960 have for a little bit longer since it was since 347 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:06.359 we got an extension during com I got it. 348 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:06.880 I got it. 349 00:19:06.920 --> 00:19:10.559 So will this contract go forwards four years for you? 350 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:13.799 Or will it be retroactive for a couple of years 351 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:15.319 and only go forward two years? 352 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.799 No, So the way that the contract works is that 353 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.400 when we sign it, if so, we're on strike now, 354 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.160 our contract's been up for like a month now, right, 355 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.160 so when we go back every day that we worked, 356 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:31.880 we're going to get every day that we worked without 357 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:34.880 the updated contract. We'll get some retro for that. 358 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:35.519 Yeah. 359 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:38.640 So it's retroactive to the day when the contract expired, 360 00:19:38.680 --> 00:19:41.440 which is a month ago, is what you're telling me. 361 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.279 So therefore, when the contract is reached, it will cover 362 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:48.400 you for the next four years approximately. So come back 363 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:50.559 to what you talked about. How did you guys want 364 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:51.759 to have a record. 365 00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:53.160 Raise? 366 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:56.519 What's the how much are you looking for that you 367 00:19:56.599 --> 00:20:00.559 feel would be fair over a period of four years. 368 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:04.559 Yeah, I'm not really I deliver you to say that 369 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:07.079 right now, but like I said, it's a record increase. 370 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.400 It would be the most that we've ever it would 371 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:12.640 be the most that the local has ever achieved in 372 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:17.200 a contract fight. And like I said, it's it's necessary, 373 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:18.559 you know, like, and I know you're not. 374 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:23.279 I'm actually try understand help you, Isaac. I'm actually trying 375 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:25.519 to help you make your case here. So so if 376 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:31.160 you're saying it's a record increase, I'm betting that you're 377 00:20:31.240 --> 00:20:35.599 talking about over the course of the contract probably somewhere 378 00:20:35.640 --> 00:20:37.559 close to thirty percent at least. 379 00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:43.200 Yeah, I mean, yeah, something in that ballpark range. 380 00:20:43.319 --> 00:20:45.799 But yeah, that's what I'm you know, I've been around. 381 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:48.319 I'm not the numbest guy in the world, so I 382 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:50.319 can figure that one out. And that would be a 383 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:53.440 that's a healthy raise, but it's over the course of 384 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:54.079 four years. 385 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:56.920 It's not thirty percent immediately. 386 00:20:57.000 --> 00:20:59.279 It's over the you know, it's staggered in whether it's 387 00:20:59.279 --> 00:21:01.519 seven and eight, seven and eight or whatever, they would 388 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:05.839 get you to that thirty percent. And you know, if 389 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:09.039 you look at what room rates were six years ago 390 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:11.880 compared to what they are today, I think you could 391 00:21:11.880 --> 00:21:14.240 make that analogy isaink is what I'm trying to say 392 00:21:14.279 --> 00:21:16.880 to you that if they were charging two hundred dollars 393 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:21.240 for a room at these hotels five years ago and 394 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.240 now they're charging five hundred dollars, that's a hell of 395 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.920 it increase, you. 396 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:25.519 Know what I'm saying. 397 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:29.400 No, yeah, and so so I think that's why I 398 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:32.680 brought that that in, right, So like what we would get, 399 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:35.160 would you know, it's it's still less than what this 400 00:21:35.279 --> 00:21:36.799 man would be making every second. 401 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:40.039