Win a trip to Cascais, Portugal!

Kick off the In These Times 47th anniversary celebration in style: Get your raffle tickets, for a chance to win a trip for two to Cascais, Portugal!

End-of-Week Wrap-Up: Janitors, Housekeepers and Rabbis

Diana Novak

The latest issue of In These Times is a special, extra-length issue devoted entirely to the subject of socialism in America today. This special issue is available now. Order your copy today.

We try cover every important new and developing labor story here at Working ITT, but alas, our small army of reporter/​bloggers can’t do it all - especially as the holidays approach. Here’s a quick rundown of some stories that slipped through the cracks:

Today (12÷18): In Delaware’s Wilmington and New Castle counties, janitors who clean Bank of America and JP Morgan Chase office buildings concluded a nine-month strike, successfully securing wage increases, health insurance and paid vacation time. The new contract will cover 800 area workers, raising their wages to $9.25 an hour over the next two years.

Thursday (12÷17): Angelica Corp., which manufactures hospital linens, ended400-worker strike at their Somerville, Mass. plant. After less than a week, the parties ratified a new contract that included a 45-cent hourly raise by 2011, in addition to an increased employer contribution to the pension plan and health insurance costs.

Also Thursday: A coalition of rabbis joined the fight to get 98 laid-off Boston Hyatt housekeepers rehired. The group joined petitioner Rabbi Barbara Penzner at Hyatt’s Chicago headquarters in criticizing the outsourcing of the housekeepers’ jobs. Penzner was denied a meeting with Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian.

Wednesday (12÷16): Hotel workers affiliated with UNITE-HERE began a strike at the San Francisco W Hotel, following a series of strikes at San Francisco-area luxury hotels organized by their union.

Win a trip for two to Cascais, Portugal!

Celebrate 47 years of In These Times in style! Get your raffle tickets today for your chance to win a vacation for two to Cascais, Portugal!

One lucky raffle winner will receive a $3,000 gift card to cover the costs of two flights, as well as a stay in a 5-star boutique hotel, housed in a 17th century fortress with medieval architecture and décor. You can schedule the trip on your timeline!

All raffle ticket sales support ongoing In These Times reporting, just like the article you just finished reading. Get your raffle tickets now.

The winner will be selected on the night of September 30, at the In These Times 47th Anniversary Celebration. You do not need to be present at the drawing to win.

Diana Novak is a fall 2009 editorial intern at In These Times and a contributor to Chicago INNERVIEW. She moonlights as a trial lawyer assistant.
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