On Friday February 9, 2018, nearly 150 Bon Appétit Management Company food service employees working at Airbnb ratified a first time union contract with the UAW (United Automobile Workers). The agreement covers food service employees working at four Airbnb locations in San Francisco, California and Portland, Oregon.

“The contract raises the bar for working people up and down the West Coast,” said Gary Jones, the Western Regional Director for the UAW. “We believe the dishwashers, servers and chefs working for Bon Appétit and serving Airbnb employees are now among the highest paid food service workers in California. This contract includes first-class language that protects workers’ rights and ensures excellent health benefits.”

On November 28, 2017, the workers overwhelmingly chose the UAW as their bargaining representative, joining some 29,000 retired and active members in California and more than One Million retired and active members nationally. Contract negotiations took place from late 2017 through January 2018, with an elected worker committee, UAW representatives and officials of Bon Appétit.

The collective bargaining agreement provides for substantial wage increases of at least 5 percent in the first year, plus major benefit improvements.

“Bon Appétit is proud to partner with Airbnb in San Francisco and Portland to feed and support thousands of employees every day,” said Joseph Alfieri, Bon Appétit district manager.  “We look forward to working with the United Auto Workers to help us continue to create a respectful workplace based on fairness and dignity.”

Airbnb’s food program is designed to nourish employees through healthy, exciting, and socially-responsible products and practices.

“Every worker should be treated with dignity and justice,” said Chris Lehane, Airbnb’s Global Head of Policy and Public Affairs. “We want our platform to be a force for economic equality, including partnering with union-friendly contractors at our headquarters in San Francisco and working with our host community to pledge a living wage for cleaning services on our platform. Airbnb has great respect for the labor movement and we are glad to have UAW represent workers who provide services to our employees.”