The Alaska chapter of the National Education Association has been monitoring the lack of progress in contract negotiations between the Anchorage Hilton Hotel and its bellmen, housekeepers, food servers, and other employee groups for some months. These hardworking Alaskans, members of Unite HERE Local 878, have been attempting to bargain a new contract for more than a year, and hotel management shows no signs that it is willing to settle.

This is part of a national pattern of union-breaking tactics and unfair treatment of employees by the Columbia Sussex Corporation. As a result, the NEA-Alaska Board of Directors met last weekend and voted to cancel its multi-year contract with the Hilton. The board severed all business ties with the hotel, despite the financial cost to our 13,000 members.

NEA-Alaska met with the Hilton management in May and August, both times offering our services as mediators to help the two sides achieve a reasonable settlement. Alaska staff returned from attending the last face-to-face negotiating session stating it has become clear that these Outside hotel managers have no interest in settling the dispute with their Alaskan employees.

Over the course of more than 20 years, NEA-Alaska has held many events at the Hilton. The warm greetings we receive when entering the hotel make us feel welcome and appreciated. The greetings come from hotel employees who take pride in their work and are professionals in taking care of guests.

We value our longtime association with the Hilton, but we cannot do business with a company that refuses to treat working Alaskans fairly and with respect. As educators, we teach our students the values of good citizenship and fair play. As union members, we stand together with all Alaskans in the struggle for what is right. In this instance that means fair wages, reasonable workloads, and affordable healthcare for families.

Our canceled contract consisted of six conferences, all scheduled outside the tourist season. Two of the events, annual Delegate Assemblies, would have brought more than 400 educators from across Alaska to the Anchorage Hilton in January 2010 and 2011. Alaskans know how valuable these large conventions would be to any hotel during our darkest, coldest season.

In addition to pulling our conference and convention business from the Hilton, NEA-Alaska has asked its members not to eat, sleep, or meet at the Hilton until the hotel settles a fair contract. The Anchorage Hilton is one of 71 hotels that Columbia Sussex owns around the country. The Anchorage Marriott is also owned by this company. We have posted a list of these properties on our website, and urge all Alaskans to check the list before they make travel reservations and honor the boycott.

Alaskans have always stood together to overcome adversity. Let us stand together now and send this resounding message to Columbia Sussex and all other Outside corporations: Alaskan workers deserve better, and we won't stand for anything less.

Barb Angaiak is President of NEA-Alaska, the largest union in Alaska. NEA-Alaska represents over 13,000 teachers and education support professionals from Ketchikan to Kaktovik. She can be reached at barb.angaiak_neaalaska.org.