Workers at Sonoma Mission Inn unionize

Two hundred and seventy-five workers at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn have formed a union with UNITE HERE Local 2. An independent arbitrator has certified that a majority of workers at the luxury resort supported forming their union, and contract negotiations will begin soon.

“I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished, because now hundreds of families in Sonoma will have a better future,” said Teitzah Karys, a massage therapist at the Spa for 24 years. “I’ve lived in this community for over 35 years, and many of my coworkers live here and are raising our children here. Now we can negotiate for better wages, health care, and working conditions. I’m so grateful for all the support from the community. We are rising together.”

“Workers are the backbone of Sonoma’s hospitality industry” said Marty Bennett, a retired history professor and local community organizer who supported the campaign and has lived in Sonoma for 29 years. “A union hotel in Sonoma is good for all of us, and our community congratulates these workers on their decision to organize.”

UNITE HERE Local 2 is the hospitality workers’ union in the San Francisco Bay Area, representing 15,000+ workers in hotels, restaurants, food services, Oakland International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, and more.