On 22 February workers at the five-star hotel Stamford Plaza walked off the job for a two-hour strike. The hotel’s Singapore-based owners, Stamford Land Corporation, are investing $200 million in luxury apartments, a move that is tipped to make a fortune. Meanwhile, the hotel staff have been offered a zero percent pay increase for April 2006-April 2007. Negotiations for a renewed collective agreement began in March last year but the management stalled talks until December 2006.
Union members (from Unite and the SFWU) had a lively picket during the strike action and three days later staged a wakeup call. At 7.30am the loud crowing of a rooster blasted from the sound system on Unite’s bus outside the hotel. An hour of music and talks, plus frequent rooster calls, conveyed to the company what the unions think the zero percent pay offer.
Unite apologises to guests who were disturbed, particularly the world champion professional wrestler King Booker. However, despite being woken early he was supportive and signed a Unite placard.