By modeling a productive labor-management partnership, this hotel benefits its business, customers, workers, and community.

In Partnership With: UNITE HERE

Democracy in the workplace means quality customer service

In November 2006, DoubleTree San Jose, part of the Hilton family of hotels, recognized UNITE HERE as the union representative for 270 of its employees. Supporting workers' rights was a solid business strategy for the hotel, designed to give it a competitive edge in the hospitality industry.

Union recognition came through majority sign-up, a process that allows workers to sign cards indicating their choice to belong to a union. Michael Dunne, former General Manager of the DoubleTree San Jose, supported his employees' decision to use this process. Dunne elaborates, "We run a business and want to make sure it's in the best interest of our business, and in this case [majority sign-up] was in the best interest of our team and business." 

Finalized in June 2007, the new union contract gives workers family-supporting wages and benefits, including union-sponsored health insurance and family healthcare coverage. The agreement provides workers with a pension fund, a seniority-based promotion system, and a grievance process. As a result of the labor-management partnership, DoubleTree San Jose and UNITE HERE contribute to a training fund which provides English as a Second Language classes and banquet training programs for workers.

The labor-management alliance at DoubleTree San Jose illustrates how employers in the hospitality industry can build constructive relationships with workers and their unions. Enrique Fernandez, the Business Manager at UNITE HERE Local 19, attests to the significance of the DoubleTree San Jose partnership, "This hotel sets the standard and paves the way for other hotels to follow. Workers and management will see the difference a union brings."