Workers
across America are organizing unions and New Orleans workers are no
exception. More than 400,000 workers organized unions last year -
more than in any year in decades. Service workers are organizing in
record numbers. Nearly half the workers who organized last
year are in health care, social services, hotel, entertainment and
other service sectors where women and people of color predominate.
In contrast, only a fifth of the newly organized workers were in manufacturing,
historically a union stronghold.
New Orleans hospitality workers are unionizing, as well. A recent
survey showed that 88 percent believe workers need an organization
to look out for their interests and three-quarters said they would
like to join such an organization.
On January 22, 1998, workers at the Convention Center voted three-to-one
to unionize. Their reasons for unionizing included low pay, an unfair
system in which the company keeps the banquet servers' tips, fluctuation
hours, few benefits and a basic lack of respect.
