[1] The union's members work predominantly in the hotel, food service, laundry, warehouse, and casino gaming industries.

[3] Bruce Raynor, then president of UNITE, and John W. Wilhelm of HERE became close friends after meeting on a HERE picket line at Yale University in 2003.

[2] Raynor's critics also said the union president often agreed to "sweetheart deals" that hurt workers but which added new members and avoided protracted organizing battles.

[2] According to at least one account, Raynor was unhappy that the HERE faction had a majority on the board, which permitted Wilhelm and his supporters to veto his proposals.

[11] In late 2008, General President Bruce Raynor and 15 local and regional UNITE HERE affiliates in the laundry and garment industries filed lawsuits against Hospitality Division President John Wilhelm, accusing him and his division of fraud, theft, gross mismanagement of $61 million in funds committed to union organizing drives, and failing to resolve members' grievances.

[7] Wilhelm and several affiliate leaders in the hospitality division sued Raynor and his allies in the laundry and garment division, claiming that Raynor had acted in violation of the union's constitution and procedures in firing large numbers of Wilhelm supporters in Detroit and Phoenix, Arizona.

[13][14] Wilhelm also accused Raynor of disloyalty[15] and dual unionism for continuing to press for the disaffiliation of the garment division affiliates after the UNITE HERE executive board had voted down the proposal.

[16][17] Wilhelm and his supporters said that the UNITE HERE constitution prevented any such vote without the permission of the international union's executive board.

[20] United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also unsuccessfully attempted to mediate the dispute.

[23] American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten urged the sides to settle as well, writing a letter to both Raynor and Wilhelm cautioning that "This conflict is causing collateral damage. ...

In April 2009, Wilhelm formally charged Raynor of using union resources to support the disaffiliation movement.

[7][24][25] Raynor sued Wilhelm and UNITE HERE in federal court, arguing suspension was not permitted under the union's constitution.

[25][28] Juan Gonzalez, a columnist for New York Daily News, reported on June 16, 2009, that Raynor had transferred more than $12 million to affiliates which supported him as well as to groups outside the union.

[17] The transfers allegedly included: According to internal union documents obtained by the newspaper, Raynor disbursed the money without the required approval from Wilhelm.

[25][27] An angry Raynor accused Wilhelm of removing his personal files from the office and resigned on May 30 mere hours before the start of the hearing on his suspension.

[2] Nonetheless, UFCW President Joe Hansen continued to try to mediate a resolution, and expressed his hope that a settlement was possible.

[31] Both unions will continue to organize food service workers in elementary, middle, and secondary schools and in higher education.

[31] At least one analyst characterized the agreement as "SEIU surrendered most of the assets of the venerable splinter union it had tried to absorb, and gave up some jurisdiction it had sought.

The survey was supposedly in response to a case where a waitress at Neil Bluhm's Rivers Casino was pulled onto the lap of a guest and asked for oral sex.

The union also supported requiring hotels to give "panic buttons" to any employees who work alone in guest rooms.

[41] Across the country, the newly-ratified contracts included significant increases to wages and other benefits, as well as stronger protections against sexual harassment in the workplace.

[42] On July 2, 2023, UNITE HERE's Local 11 chapter, which represents 15,000 workers at 61 hotels in the Los Angeles area, initiated a labor strike.

[50] The Unite Here Local 11-led strike in the Los Angeles and Orange Country areas which occurred from 2023 to 2024 would achieve deals for worker in all but three of hotels which were targeted.

[58] On October 31, 2024, workers at five hotels in San Jose, including the Signia and Doubletree, who were UNITE HERE members would ratify new labor contracts.

[62] It was also reported that 5,000 of the 10,000 workers involved in the nationwide strike which began on September 1, 2024 were based in Hawaii and were members of the UNITE HERE Local 5 chapter.

[63][64] On November 12, 2024, 2,500 additional hotel workers who were UNITE HERE Local 5 members and who worked at the Hawaii-based Marriott-operated hotels Royal Hawaiian, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Sheraton Waikiki, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort, and the Westin Moana Surfrider ratified new labor contracts as well.

[72][61][73] The October 20, 2024, the strike at the two Boston Omni hotels ended after workers unanimously voted to approve new contracts.

[88] On February 13, 2024 food and beverage workers at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) who are members of UNITE HERE Local 11 would go on strike for a three day period.

[89] This was followed on February 14, 2024 with dozens of employees at Los Angeles Grand Hotel who were also members of UNITE HERE Local 11 also going on strike, demanding better wages and increased staffing.