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Hotel Workers Get Serious on Olympic Pay

By Andrew Casey

Sydney Hotel Union members are gearing up for a huge industry-wide meeting on Monday July 24, to discuss their concerns about the Olympics, and what will happen to them at their workplaces

" We will be sweating like dogs while our employers make big bucks in a short period," Timothy Egan, a chef and union activist at the Sheraton on the Park said.

" We are all being left in the dark about the Olympics," Florencia Parajo, a laundrey attendant, at the Sheraton on the Park .

" What's my hotel going to do about people trying to get to and from work - especially at night when it won't be safe and taxis will be hard to get, " she ask.

" The Olympics should be about fair play - but our hotel managers aren't playing fair because they won't talk about their plan," Nick Harrigon, a banquet waiter, from the ANA hotel said.

The July 24 industry meeting is a chance for hundreds of hotel and motel workers to discuss what is happening in their industry.

The Hotel Union's 'Let's Talk' Campaign emphasises the fact that until now the big city hotels have not taken all their employees into their confidence about how they will make sure the hospitality sector work through the Olympic weeks - professionally and with the minimum of stress.

Hotel workers are meeting at the Masonic Centre , cnr Castlereagh and Goulburn St at 8.30am to stand up and speak out.

The meeting has been organised by the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, to give Sydney's hospitality workers an opportunity to:

� update themselves on what is happening in their industry;

� meet and talk with hundres of other people - chefs, waiters, porters, room attendants, laundry workers, car parking, cleaners, receptionists....all working in the same industry;

� talk about upcoming and existing campaigns to improve wages, conditions and the professionalism of every aspect of hotel work.

Most importantly July 24 is about using hotel workers voices who have for months been campaigning for a fair deal over the Olympics.

If you have a member of your family in the hotel industry. If you have got a neighbour working in the industry - or someone who is a member of your social club - make sure they know about the meeting. For more information they can call the Hotel Union office on 9281 9577

Rail Security guards Seek Their Slice Too

Sydney's 1300 City-Rail Chubb Security Staff are seeking negotiations over the coming month for a decent Olympic Bonus.

The Security Union have called together this key group of workers who travel Sydney's trains in pairs, starting from 7pm every night.

The talk of an Olympic bonus is a major issue in the industry, because of the heightened expectations that management has of these workers during the Olympic period - they will provide a frontline presence to guarantee a sense of safety on our public transport.

There will be tens of thousands more people - mainly overseas visitors - using City Rail trains at all hours to visit sports venues and experience Sydney's nightlife.

There is considerable tension among the Chubb Security workers because the company has - so far unsuccessfully - attempted to change the rules on overtime payments in a number of court disputes.

Many Chubb Security guards will have to work considerable overtime, and the Security Union members want to be assured the company will stick to the award.

The directly employed City Rail staff have already been offered an Olympics bonus by the State Government.

At the moment no such bonus has been extended to the Chubb Security Staff who work for a private sector contractor to the Government.

The mass meeting of Security Union members will be held on Saturday July 22 at 11am in the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union Auditorium 187 Thomas St Haymarket.

Other key issues to be discussed are the cancelling of shifts, late rosters without notice, overtime payments, superannuation and classifications.

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  Issue 62 contents

»	Hotel Workers Get Serious on Olympic Pay
»	Global Rio Tinto Campaign Bites
»	Nike Faces Olympics Shame
»	Cameron Calls for 'Social Audit'
»	Orange Rally Softens Email Job Losses
»	No Joy in the Chase
»	Reith Scheme Short Changes Workers
»	World Banks' PNG Edict: Six Thousand Bucks per Job!
»	New Wages Scam - Sink Company to Avoid Pay
»	Shaw Returns to Bar Room Life
»	Newman! Minister Dumps on Staff for GST
»	Taxi Drivers Win GST Justice
»	Unchain Your Mind
»	ACTU Womens' Conference

»	The Soapbox
»	The Locker Room
»	Trades Hall
»	Tool Shed

»	Political Hackers and the Law
»	Still a Role for Tariffs
»	Fair Trade - Australia Would be Hit Too!
»	Mexican Greens - A Different Analysis
»	Korean unrest - All the Latest Here

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