As a daughter of immigrants I grew up listening to stories told by my mom and aunt about working in a hotel. It was considered a good job to have because it was a job with union representation. I would hear stories about how the unions would have their backs, but what always really stuck with me was what the union representation meant to my family. Union representation meant job security and support when layoffs and furloughs happened, it meant someone in your corner to help you fight for fair treatment at work. It meant a community of workers behind you that are all in this with you. As an adult I still have family members and friends that are union organizers — teachers, firefighters, sanitation workers — and that are all active union members showing me everyday that there is power in the people and power in unionizing.

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As I walked through an empty hotel lobby making way to an equally empty coffee shop for an afternoon cup, I couldn't help but stop to take in the solitude. I reminisced on times when the same hotel lobby would be bustling with guests from all over the world. I immediately thought about all the hotel workers hustling up and down the halls to create the magic and allure of the hotel for guests. I think about them and how they have been affected during this time. As a daughter of immigrants I grew up listening to stories told by my mom and aunt about working in a hotel. It was considered a good job to have because it was a job with union representation. I would hear stories about how the unions would have their backs, but what always really stuck with me was what the union representation meant to my family. Union representation meant job security and support when layoffs and furloughs happened, it meant someone in your corner to help you fight for fair treatment at work. It meant a community of workers behind you that are all in this with you. As an adult I still have family members and friends that are union organizers — teachers, firefighters, sanitation workers– and that are all active union members showing me everyday that there is power in the people and power in unionizing. To learn more about the benefits unions provide, check out @pswpu! www.ouruniondifference.com Paid for by the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees

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