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A big union win for employees of Sheraton AnchorageIn a big win for unions, a federal judge in Alaska has ordered the Anchorage-based Sheraton Hotel to restore many of the rights that union workers say were lost during contract negations between Unite Here Local 878 and the Sheraton’s manager, Remington Lodging and Hospitality. Those negotiations, which began in 2009, broke down in 2010. Since then, workers have protested and issued a boycott of the hotel while the union and Remington have been locked in a protracted court battle. One danger is that the long battle will cause employees to be “irreparably harmed” said U.S. District Court Judge Tim Burgess. He ordered the hotel to restore many of the terms and conditions of employment that existed before negotiations between the union and the hotel started. In a Feb. 2 order, Burgess ordered the Sheraton to, among other things: • Avoid assigning non-union workers to union work; • Stop punishing workers for engaging in union activity, including talking to the media and handing out information about the working conditions in the hotel; • Stop coercing employees, according to the order, into trying to “decertify the union as the collective bargaining representative of the bargaining unit…” Remington, issuing a statement from its lawyer Karl M. Terrell, said that it would appeal the decision. “The issues presented to the federal judge were very limited in scope. His ruling was not based on a full review of the case,” Terrell wrote. He also added that the decision is not “determinative of what will be the final outcome in the ongoing litigation.” The order comes more than five months after an administrative law judge concluded the hotel violated numerous federal labor laws. The hotel appealed. The National Labor Relations Board decided it couldn’t wait for the issue to work itself out through administrative law judges, so it went to federal court. The judge agreed with the board. “The passage of additional time will only increase the probability that the union will be unable to recover at the hotel and increase the period of time that the employees will be deprived of the benefits of collective bargaining,” Burgess wrote. Matthew Fennell, organizer for Unite Here, said that the problems between the union and the hotel started after the hotel was bought by Texas-based Ashford TRS Nickel in 2006 and brought in Remington to manage the property. “We had a great relationship for 30 years” prior to that, Fennell said. Contact Amanda at Amanda(at)alaskadispatch.com A win for all workers. Message to employers: We have power in numbers. We want to be treated with respect. We want fairness on the job. Power to the people. These are jobs for people who don't speak English, don't have a green card, and live 20 to a two-bedroom apartment. Its YOU not the Sheraton that is bullying your members for coming down to where there is actually work to be had. Where they can get overtime if they want to, and where they can get paid MORE then they get otherwise at your union locations for the same work. And finally most importantly where they get a better health insurance package then the local 878 has EVER offered to a union employee. They make that choice to come where there is work for them to have, rather then have to sit by waiting for a chance at other places and being prevented the opportunity at getting overtime benefits being forced to leave for the day with a minimal paycheck ever shrinking as it is. Catering Staff flock to Sheraton regularly and the union penalizes them for going to the better paying jobs there instead of their union shops. its no wonder other hotels staffs are similarly looking to vote OUT the union in favor of a right to work environment. As Far as the Housekeeping issue that the union is touting as the high demand for them to exist at the hotel, I cant disagree more. Indeed staffing goes out of their way to ensure a fair and balanced workload for demand on turnovers. More staff is needed and will come if the union stops the harassment of potential employees. |
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