[project] Part I: Introduction

Transnational organizing is when groups across borders organize to attain goals. This is in contrast to international projects in that transnational efforts are not overseen by governments or international organizations. Also, rather than being an effort to effect nation-wide change, transnational projects aim for more local effects (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnationality, Pettman 2004). My class is on transnational feminism, with a specific focus on transnational organizing in North America. Since this is an “online resources project,” I will mix traditional journal articles with online resources.

UNITE HERE is an international union that represents 50,000 workers in Canada and 450,000 workers in the United States in the industries of garment manufacturing, garment retail, hotels and restaurants, casinos, sports stadium and airport concessions, and, in Canada, plastics and auto parts manufacturing (http://www.unitehere.org/, http://www.unitehere.ca/pages/default_en.php).

Originally two separate unions, UNITE (the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) and HERE (Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union) merged on July 8, 2004. The membership of UNITE HERE is mostly minorities: immigrants, Latinos, African Americans, and Asian Americans. The majority are women (http://www.unitehere.org/about/). Major UNITE HERE employers are:

• ALSCO
• Aramark
• Boyd Gaming
• Brooks Brothers
• Caesars Entertainment
• Harrah's Entertainment
• Hartmarx
• Hilton
• Hyatt
• Levi Strauss
• Liz Claiborne
• Mandalay Resorts
• MGM-Mirage
• National Linen
• Starwood
• TJX
• Walt Disney World Company
• Wynn Resorts
• Xerox

UNITE HERE’s primary aim is “organizing the unorganized in our industries” (http://www.unitehere.org/about/). They are currently running organizing campaigns at Cintas (http://www.cintas.com/, for UNITE HERE’s website on Cintas go to http://www.cintasexposed.org/), Hilton (http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/index.do?WT.srch=1), H&M (http://www.hm.com/) and in the gaming industry. Once organized, UNITE HERE’s local unions bargain for better working conditions, hours, pay, safety, benefits, insurance, etc. In addition, UNITE HERE uses its affiliations to influence policy decisions. Finally, UNITE HERE launched a consciousness-raising campaign on sweatshop labor, the “Behind the Label” campaign.