When UNITE HERE launched the drive to save the Plaza Hotel several weeks ago, it was hoped that the campaign would draw the attention of the New York public. But it has done better than that, garnering worldwide attention. At a rally held outside the hotel on March 14, television news crews from Italy, Spain, Brazil, Germany and Japan joined local reporters in covering the event. More than 500 Local 6 members attended the event and were joined by supporters from all walks of life in New York.

Speakers included the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, Father Peter Colapietro and Assistant Imam Tariq Shareek, who all said that the Plaza was more than a building and that efforts should be made to save the hotel and the employees who work inside it.

Hotel Trades Council President Peter Ward has reported that talks between the union and Elad Properties continue. The company has proposed creating a small luxury hotel on the 58th Street side of the Plaza that would save 150 of the Plaza’s 900 union jobs.

The union is demanding that a larger portion of the Plaza remain as a hotel and is joined in this demand by numerous elected officials, celebrities, historians, preservationists and other prominent New Yorkers.

In the weeks ahead the union will be engaging in arbitration and will appear with experts before the LPC to save some of the Plaza’s most renowned interior spaces and prevent them from being converted to retail use. There is a general membership meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 5 at Radio City Music Hall at 4:00 p.m. Seating is on a first come first saved basis. Following the meeting is a march to the Plaza and a rally.

In an effort to advance their 3-year struggle for a new contract and counter the hotel’s latest union-busting tactics, Turtle Bay workers gathered 224 signatures on a petition to management demanding that the hotel pay for their medical care and return to the bargaining table. The hotel’s underpayments for workers’ health care has created a pending crisis and fueled increased anger among employees.

On March 18, the AFL Hotel and Restaurant Workers Health and Welfare Trust Fund–a joint labor management fund which provides Local 5 retirees, members and their families with health care coverage–wrote a letter to the hotel and the union stating that if the hotel does not begin to pay the current contribution rate in 60 days, Turtle Bay workers will lose their retiree medical coverage. The union petition urged -�the hotel to immediately return to the bargaining table and settle a fair contract so that we can end the boycott and help make Turtle Bay Resort a success.-�

Meanwhile, an Administrative Law Judge of the NLRB has rescheduled from April 12 to June 7 a hearing on eight separate alleged unfair labor practices. Sixteen additional unfair labor practice charges have been filed against Turtle Bay Resort and are now under investigation.

San Francisco. The Multi-Employer Group has been getting little relief as San Francisco hotel workers and supporters keep taking it to the streets with more picket lines. Hotel guests were greeted with a four-hour picket line at the Fairmont Hotel last Friday. And the actions keep getting longer and longer. This Thursday, another picket line goes up at the Palace Hotel.

Additionally, members of the American Philosophical Association picketed the Westin St. Francis Hotel on Wednesday March 23rd. The philosophers wanted to show their support for members of UNITE HERE Local 2. They were also protesting the decision of the APA’s Pacific Division to hold its annual meeting at the St. Francis, one of fourteen San Francisco hotels under a UNITE HERE boycott. Other academic organizations, including the American Anthropological Association and the Organization of American Historians, have honored the boycott by moving their conferences to other cities. A last minute attempt to move the APA conference to San Jose was unsuccessful. As a result, many APA members have canceled hotel reservations at the St. Francis or canceled their trips entirely.

Los Angeles. "Keep Hope Alive," was the catchphrase of the day as the Reverend Jesse Jackson led workers from the Century Plaza in a delegation to the office of the hotel’s general manager on March 17 in another chapter in Los Angeles’ hotel workers fight for a fair contract. Starting out in the employee dining room and winding his way through kitchens and work areas of the hotel, Rev. Jackson and Local 11 shop stewards got the hotel buzzing as the delegation made its way to the GM’s office. Upon arriving at the executive office, chief shop steward Donald Wilson announced that the Rev. Jackson and the workers wanted to meet with the general manager. Told that the general manager was unavailable and in a meeting with the hotel’s owners, Rev. Jackson requested to meet with the owners, too. The hotel’s owners met with Rev. Jackson and were told about the need to find a fair resolution to the conflict immediately, particularly in light of the effect that the boycott was having on the hotel’s business and the need of the hotel to maintain a dedicated and professional workforce.

94th Anniversary of Workplace Disaster
March 24, 2005, Noon -" 1 p.m.
Each year, UNITE HERE commemorates the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, the 1911 industrial fire that killed 146 workers, most of them young immigrant women. This tragedy was a turning point for the efforts to win safe workplaces and union rights for garment workers, and was a key point in our union’s history.

What: In 1911, 146 young immigrant garment workers died in a tragic fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. This tragedy galvanized a city to fight for labor reforms and for fire safety in the workplace.

Who: Bruce Raynor, General President, UNITE HERE John Wilhelm, President/Hospitality Industry, UNITE HERE Other labor leaders and representatives of the NYFD -Family members of workers who perished in fire

Where: Corner of Washington Place & Greene Street-"just east of Washington Square Park

When: March 24, 2004* Noon -" 1 p.m. *The actual anniversary of the event is March 25. Because the anniversary falls on Good Friday this year, we are holding the commemoration the day before.

Ceremony: Fire officer tolls bell, as students and workers read a name and lay a flower for each of the 146 victims. New York City firefighters will slowly raise the ladder of their truck to the highest point the firefighters could reach in 1911, which was two floors below where workers were trapped.

New York, NY–On February 1, 2005, Cablevision cut off union health insurance for over two hundred Madison Square Garden workers and their families. This is part of Cablevision’s attempt to force these workers to agree to changes in their contract that would cut work opportunities, health insurance and pension benefits for many employees. Many workers at Madison Square Garden already earn less than $10 an hour. Please visit www.fightatthegarden.info to send a free fax to James Dolan, Chairman of Madison Square Garden, urging him to restore health insurance coverage Madison Square Garden workers and work to negotiate a fair contract.

San Francisco. The boycott of the San Francisco Multi-Employer Group hotels continues to pick up steam as additional organizations and individuals have agreed to support the citywide boycott and move their business elsewhere. Local 2 and their allies are continuing the pressure with more street actions scheduled. On Monday, hundreds of people walked a picket line for four hours at the San Francisco Hilton. Many community supporters joined the line, including San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly.

Now, Big Business has launched attacks on Mayor Gavin Newsom for his support, and for his refusal to disregard the boycott of the 14 hotels.

Elsewhere last week, dozens of UNITE HERE member-led actions took place atlocations in Hawaii, Toronto, Chicago, Oakland and Boston in protest of abusive behavior at the Sheraton Universal in Los Angeles. Several Shop Stewards and union committee members have been suspended or fired as part of a campaign against a fair contract. But most of the workers are back on the job after workers across the United States and Canada stood up to demand an end to these attacks.

Click here for more information about the hotel workers’ campaign.

LOS ANGELES — Hotel workers score another victory in their fight for health care and wages, as President Bill Clinton honors boycott.

Early this week, hotel workers were notified that President Bill Clinton will not be attending a lunch at the Century Plaza Hotel sponsored by the Association of Southern California Defense Counsels out of respect to hotel workers who have been without a contract for the past 10 months.

The Century Plaza, The Regent Beverly Wilshire, Sheraton Universal, Hyatt West Hollywood, Hyatt Downtown, Wilshire Grand Hotel, and the Westin Bonaventure are in the list of boycotted hotels, which has been in effect since last October.

Workers announced a boycott due the intimidation practices by the hotels. The multimillion dollar hotel chains, until last month, were charging workers a $40 monthly health care fee, which the union has alleged is illegal, and engaging in other, widespread intimidation practices.

Meanwhile, other elected officials and organizations who are respecting the boycott include: the California Democratic Party who recently pulled their state convention from the Biltmore Hotel, Mayor Jim Hahn, the great majority of California Delegation in the State Assembly, Senate and Congress, and Los Angeles City Councilmembers.

Due to the on-going labor dispute with approximately 2,500 hotel workers, elected leaders and organizations have refused to speak or make themselves present at events held at any of the boycotted hotels in support of the workers.

"We applaud the courage and support from former President Clinton and our elected leaders and organizations who have supported our fight for health care and decent wages for our hard work," said Rocksand Ramirez, a housekeeper at the Century Plaza Hotel.

Hotel workers have consistently rejected the EC’s contract proposals because, among other issues, they do not guarantee sufficient employer contributions to maintain, for the duration of the agreement, the same level and quality of health benefits workers fought for and won in past contracts.

"Nothing compares to our family health benefits," said Aida Marmol, a housekeeper at Westin Bonaventure hotel. "We will never give up fighting to make sure our children can be healthy and get the treatment they deserve."

Over 900 Plaza Hotel workers now have global allies in a fight to save their jobs from plans to raze the hotel and replace it with condominiums and retail stores. Last week, UNITE HERE Local 6 leaders met with the British union, Transport and General Workers Union (T&G), to solicit their help in reaching out to Harrod’s Department stores, the retail giant rumored to be setting up shop on the Plaza Hotel property. Following a T&G facilitated meeting with Harrod’s President Muhammad El Fayed, the company president sent a letter to Mayor Michael Bloomberg to publicly state that Harrod’s had no intention of building stores on the Plaza property, and to denounce plans to destroy the landmark. A coalition of New York City politicians, preservationists and supporting groups have also mobilized efforts to Save the Plaza, and have engaged in a multi-faceted campaign to educate the public about this issue. For more information about campaign events, or to learn how you can help Save the Plaza, contact Jim Donovan at (212) 957-8000.

Los Angeles. The boycott of the 8 Employers Council Hotels in Los Angeles continues to gain momentum. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced that they are pulling out all business from the Wilshire Grand Hotel. The LAUSD brings in more than $1 million worth of business annually to the Wilshire Grand. The California Teachers Association and the United Teachers of Los Angeles and community leaders helped to influence the LAUSD to honor the boycott and move their business out of the Wilshire Grand. Also, The Association of Southern California Defense Counsel has now moved their luncheon from the Westin Century Plaza to the Beverly Hilton. Click here for a list of boycotted hotels.

February 27, the night of the Oscar Awards, Local 11 held an action at two boycotted hotels in Beverly Hills with picket lines at the Westin Century Plaza and the Regent Beverly Wilshire. Many entertainment industry professionals were forced to drive by loud picket lines in their limousines on their way to the Oscar Awards in Hollywood. The next action is scheduled for March 10, 2005. Please contact Maya Anderson for more information 213.486.9880 xt.137.

San Francisco. Local 2 members and supporters continue to crank up the heat on the Multi Employer Group with more boycott activities and picket lines. On Monday, hundreds of people joined a four-hour picket line outside the Sheraton Palace Hotel. Hotel guests were handed leaflets informing them of the ongoing contract fight and were asked to patronize other hotels that are not involved in a labor dispute with the union, while picketers chanted "Don’t check in, check out now!" More picket lines are planned for Wednesday at the Mark Hopkins Hotel and Monday at the Hilton.

Click here for more information about the campaign.

Gelmart Industries, Inc., which is headquartered in New York City and owns Gelmart Industries Philippines, is a privately-owned company that specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of intimate apparel for Wal-Mart, K-mart, Jockey, Frederick’s of Hollywood, and Gelmart’s own labels like Lady Marlene. The working conditions at one Gelmart subcontractor included:

• working 13-hour shifts, and occasionally even 22-hour shifts;
• dangerous safety conditions;
• not being compensated according to Filipino labor law;
• not being paid minimum wage, overtime, and nightly rates.

Read the story of Pearly Gonzales at Behind the Label.org and then click here to send an online fax to Gelmart Industries and its business partners and tell them to take responsibility and improve working conditions immediately.