Employees Say Lack of Affordable Health Care, Job Security, Workload Protection Make Conditions Intolerable
Workers at the Four Points Sheraton LAX, represented by UNITE HERE, today warned of a possible boycott of the hotel unless management agrees to negotiate a fair contract. After months of attempted negotiations, workers are accusing hotel owner and operator American Property Management Corporation of negotiating in bad faith.
A majority of bargaining unit workers at the Four Points can't afford health insurance, family plans can cost several hundred dollars a month. Unlike many union hotels in Los Angeles, Four Points workers have no retirement plans, limited job security and few workload protections.
The workers won union recognition last September after a nearly year-long struggle with the company involving alleged worker intimidation and surveillance on the part of hotel management against union supporters. During the last five months, workers have been fighting to get their first contract, but the hotel has only attended three negotiation sessions and agreed to only one proposal.
'We want the company to improve working conditions and provide decent wages and affordable health care, but that is very difficult as management has not negotiated in good faith with us,' said Consuelo Onate, housekeeper at the hotel.
The first day after APMC purchased the hotel in December 2006, Onate and 11 top union supporters were not rehired. After intense pressure from Four Points workers and their political and community supporters, all 12 employees were allowed to return to work. However, three leading union supporters were subsequently fired by the hotel. Workers also report intimidation, including placement of hotel security guards outside negotiating sessions.
The Four Points will become the second hotel on Century Boulevard where a boycott is underway. The LAX Hilton has been under boycott since the fall of 2006, losing nearly $5 million.
'The Four Points Sheraton LAX has a long history of intimidating their workers and has not negotiated a fair contract with them,' said Rabbi Jason van Leeuwen. 'If the hotels continue to negotiate in bad faith, I am going to encourage my community to stop meeting in this hotel until the workers are given the dignity and respect they deserve.'
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