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cupereleases/cupe #186, lisel, 2283 chars, 14-JUL-94 13:20
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14, 1994
MARRIOTT SETTLEMENT HAS NASTY TWIST
Maureen Pomeroy had a lot to be proud of last Thursday night
when Marriott Food employees ratified a contract to end their 11-
week strike at BNR [Bell Northern Research] cafeterias.
Twenty-four hours later, the union president was jobless - laid
off along with two shop stewards and five other employees. The
majority of the other 50 employees returned to work to find their
hours cut badly enough to wipe out the wage increase they were so
thrilled to have won.
"It's pretty blatant union bashing, wouldn't you say?" says
Pomeroy.
"Two cashiers quit and one died during the course of the strike
and Marriott is currently hiring part-time cashiers. But I was called
and told coldly and bluntly that my job was eliminated."
Marriott also laid off CUPE local 3190's two shop stewards,
although one was allowed to bump into the job of another. The
union will file a bad faith bargaining complaint, said union staff
representative Wayne Thomas. Despite a "no-retaliation" clause in
the new contract, he says the moves by the U.S. multi-national seem
particularly vindictive.
"These are low-paid workers who finally took a stand. Marriott's
actions are dishonourable at the very least, not to mention malicious
and illegal."
The Marriott employees, who work the cafeterias at Bell
Northern Research sites, were jubilant last week when they signed a
new contract calling for three 50-cent raises over three years. They
got a guarantee that the newest cafeteria at BNR would employ
unionized workers and they won the dental plan they'd been seeking
for years. They felt they'd taken on a giant and won.
Another group of Marriott food workers, CUPE Local 229 at
Queen's University in Kingston, was sabotaged in similar fashion
when the company slashed working hours just after the employees
signed their last contract. They are now on strike seeking a new
contract, and job security is one of the major issues.
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For further information: Wayne Thomas: 526-0183
Maureen Pomeroy: 596-4232
opeiu 491
Sid Shniad
