Try a union hotel

As the holiday season approaches, families are on the road and a clean, friendly hotel can be a welcome destination.

You can help boost the quality of life for fellow union members by staying at one of the more than 160 high-quality unionized hotels in New York state.

Workers at these hotels are members of UNITE HERE. Like NYSUT, it's part of the AFL-CIO, labor's national umbrella organization.

An easy-to-use "Union Hotel Guide" is available at www.hotelworkersrising.org. At the Web site you can also find union hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada.

If you'd like to support hotel workers' efforts to have a stronger voice on the job and make a living wage, you can sign up for an e-mail list calling for justice for hotel workers.

Holiday cards available

Help share the holiday spirit this year with cards made by union brothers and sisters.

Sending these cards is a reminder of the quality work done by America's unionized workers, and your purchase helps keep their printing presses rolling and design shops working.

The AFL-CIO store, located at www.unionvoice.org, has beautiful cards for sale celebrating Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa, as well as non-denominational holiday greetings.

In addition, the store has clothing, books, music and art, all celebrating labor's role in American life.