Linda Martin

President

I have been a union member for over 33 years. My career started as a line cook for GSI, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum where I eventually worked my way up to become a kitchen team lead. During our contract fight in 1992, I became a shop steward and worked on the negotiation committee and won a great contract. As a shop steward, I stayed active by attending trainings, rallies and picket lines to ensure my voice, as well as my co-workers’, was heard. My position afforded me the ability to continue to build power both in and out of my shop. In 1999, I began working as a Business Agent doing what I love to do on a broader spectrum; representing workers around the city within the union shops. I eventually moved up to be an Assistant Director of Hotel Services with the task of building the leadership committee, educating members on upcoming contract fights and assisting in organizing and winning the contract at Gaylord National. In 2009 I became President of Local 25 where I continue to build the power of our Union. My goal for the union: to continue to educate, organize, and empower our membership as well as non members to have a voice in the work place.

Paul schwalb

Executive Secretary-Treasurer

I have been with the Union for nineteen yeas in multiple roles. Before becoming Executive Secretary-Treasurer, I served as Local 25 Chief of Staff. Prior to that DC assignment, I led UNITE HERE’s 100,000 member Food Service Division through a period of unprecedented growth. I believe every hospitality worker in D.C. deserves the respect, security, and dignity that comes with a union. We are ready to bring new members into the Union, strengthen our contracts, and raise the bar for hospitality workers. We will not stop fighting until we get there.

LOU DORIS HOOKS

First Vice President

I have been a proud Union member for 31 years.  I started out in the Laundry at the Capital Hilton Hotel.  When the Union needed help organizing new workers, I came out of the shop.  I now work as a Business Agent on the Union’s staff.  For me, the Union represents power in the workplace.  It creates good-paying jobs with benefits and gives workers a voice and respect for all.  As an Executive Board member I want to work to see the Union grow so we can build for tomorrow.

SERKALEM NESSIBU

Second Vice President

I love my Union.  It is my life and my family’s life. I am a Guest Services Representative in the Fairfax Hotel.  I have a right to enforce my contract that protects me on the job and provides me with good benefits.  I have been in the Union for over 30 years, and I became really active 15 years ago. Now I’m on the Executive Board of the Union. My goal for the Union is to grow so that other hotel workers can have what I have. I tell the workers I know to help the Union grow so we can all have more power.

ሠርካለም “ሰርኪ” ነሲቡ

በፌር ፋክስ ሆቴል የእንግዳ ተቀባይ (guest service agent) ነኝ። የሠራተኛ ማህበሩ ዓባል ስሆን ከ23 ዓመታት በላይ ቢሆነኝም ቀጥተኛ ተሳታፊ  ስሆን ግን 9 ዓመቴ ነው። የሠራተኛ ማህበሬን እወዳለሁ። የኔም ሆነ የቤተሰቤ ህይወት ነው። የሥራ ዋስትናዬን የሚያስከብርልኝንና ጥቅማጥቅም የማገኝበትን የሠራተኛ ማህበሬን ኮንትራት የማስፈፀም መብት አለኝ። በአሁኑ ሰዓት የሠራተኛ ማህበሩ የሥራ አስፈጻሚ ኮሚቴ  አባል ስሆን ዋናው አላማዬም የሠራተኛ ማህበሩን በማሳደግ ሌሎች የሆቴል ሠራተኞች እኔ ያለኝን መብትና ጥቅም እንዲያገኙ ማድረግ ነው። ለማውቃቸው ሰራተኞች በሙሉ የሠራተኛ ማህበሩን ለማሳደግ ሁላችንም መተባበር እንዳለብን አሳስባለሁ።

Eusebio Muñoz

Third Vice President

I have worked at the Capital Hilton for many years and have been a member of Local 25 for 35 years. I have always given my faithful support to the Union. On multiple occasions, I have been called to work as a Local 25 Organizer and Business Agent. Actively working with the Union was a tremendous experience that has served me well as part of the Capital Hilton leadership. I advise all Union members to support their Union. With the Union, the members aren’t at the total mercy of the owners. There is a balance of power. If our rights are violated, there are consequences for management. My goal is to make all Washington, DC hotels members of our Union.

Yo he trabajado en el Capital Hilton por muchos años y llevo 35 años como miembro del Local 25. Siempre le he brindado mi apoyo fiel a la Unión. Me ha tocado en varias ocasiones trabajar como organizador y agente de negocios del Local 25. Ha sido una tremenda experiencia que he obtenido al trabajar activamente con la Unión que me ha servido dentro del liderazgo del Capital Hilton.  Les recomiendo a todos los miembros de la Unión que la apoyen porque con la Unión los miembros no estamos 100% a merced del patrón. Hay un balance en el poder. Si nuestros derechos son violados hay consecuencias. Mi meta es que todos los hoteles de Washington DC sean miembros de nuestra Unión.

Stephanie Steer-Jones

Recording Secretary

I joined Local 25 15 years ago during the transformative 2004 contract fight. I always dreamed of having a job that allowed me to fight for people to have better lives. Working for the Union fulfills that dream. I started off as an organizer and business agent. I currently serve as the Union’s General Counsel and as one of the Directors of Local 25. As counsel for the Union, I represent all of the Union’s Mediations. This has allowed me to win hundreds of thousands in back pay for our members and to win back countless jobs for workers who were terminated without just cause. As a director, I serve as one of the lead negotiators for the Union on issues in the downtown hotels. I love fighting for workers and making people’s day to day lives better. My Goal for the Union:  To improve the lives of all working in people the DC Metro Area by creating good jobs, with stability, safe work environments, middle class wages, affordable healthcare and dignity and respect.

Mable Boatwright

Sergeant-at-arms

I have been a very proud and strong member for 45 years. I worked at the Embassy Row Hotel as a housekeeping supervisor for 10 years.  Then, in 1985, I joined the team at Local 25 as a business agent, and I have fought to enforce our strong contract ever since. The Union has created good paying jobs with great benefits, giving workers rights, respect, and dignity on the job with a voice that can be heard. As a proud executive board member, I work for growth to build a stronger union now and the future. 

annie m smith

Secretary of Trustees

I’m a Housekeeper at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.  I’ve been a member of the Union for over 41 years.  The Union has been important to me and my family because of the future.  During those 41 years, my life has always gotten better because of the Union.  I’ve been on the Executive Board for many years.  I want to see our Union grow and get stronger.  Workers like me need the Union.  It’s the best thing for us.

GAMINI PERERA

Trustee

I have been working at the Marriott Wardman hotel for more than 24 years with the Union.  The Union has helped my life.  Every year things get better as our wages go up and our benefits take care of us.  I’ve been on the Executive Board for 12 years.  I have seen the Union get stronger.  Now we have to grow the Union so that we have more power.  The Union is good for us.  We need to help other workers get the power we have.

Lucy Biswas

Aide to President

I have been part of Local 25 for more than 39 years.  I work as a Room Attendant at the Washington Hilton Hotel.  When I think about my Union, I think about my family. I think about all things that we have been able to achieve together through the Union.  I don’t have to worry if someone gets sick because I have healthcare under our contract.  As a member of the Executive Board, I want to help the Union grow so that other Room Attendants who work hard like I do can have the same things that I have with my Union.  I tell them, ‘the Union is your future’.

Yo he sido parte del Local 25 durante más de 39 años. Trabajo como Room Attendant en el Washington Hilton hotel. Cuando yo pienso en el sindicato, pienso en mi familia. Pienso en todo lo que hemos podido lograr juntos a través del sindicato. No tengo que preocuparme si se enferme alguien porque tengo seguro bajo nuestro contrato. Como miembro de la junta ejecutiva, quiero ayudar a crecer el sindicato para que otros Room Attendant que trabajen tan duro como yo puedan tener las mismas cosas que yo tengo por el sindicato. Les digo, ‘la Unión es su futuro’.

Carroll Ashton

Aide to Second Vice President

I work at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill.  I’ve been a Bellman there for over 34 years.  When people ask me why I like the Union, I say it’s because of the power we have in the shops.  Nobody can mess with us.  As a Board member, my goal is to see 100% of the workers in Washington hotels in the Union.  I tell them ‘you’re working with no job security without the Union’.