SAN FRANCISCO -- Labor contract
negotiations are slated to resume Oct. 8 between the owners of 14
major hotels here and employees who have staged a work stoppage at
four of the properties.
Mike Casey, the
president of Unite Here Local 2, the union representing the hotel
employees, said a federal mediator is involved to arbitrate the
talks.
This is a difficult
situation with difficult issues, said David Weinberg commissioner
of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. We hope the
process of mediation will help them find common ground.
The planned talks
follow an announcement by hotel owners that they intend to lock out
workers when the work stoppage at the four hotels ends on Oct.
13.
The hotels initially
impacted by the work stoppage, which began Sept. 29, include The
Argent hotel, the Crowne Plaza Union Square, the Hilton Hotel and
Towers and the Intercontinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco.
However, a union spokeswoman told TravelWeekly.com. Two days after
we went on strike, employers locked us out of 10 other
hotels.
The union estimates
that 4,000 of its members are currently involved in the labor
dispute over wages, health benefits and the length of the new
contract. The union said contract negotiations will ultimately
affect about 8,000 union members at more than 60 hotels and motels
in San Francisco.
Aside from San
Francisco, the union is in labor talks with hotels in Washington
and Los Angeles. Union members in both cities have authorized
officials to call strikes if necessary. The union also represents
workers in Atlantic City, where its members are striking at seven
resorts.
Meanwhile, the union
reports at least 24 groups have canceled, postponed or moved
planned meetings set for Los Angeles, San Francisco and
Washington.
To contact
reporter Michael Milligan, send e-mail to [email protected].