Hotel union poised for stop-work action Monday

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The union that represents about 11,000 hotel employees plans a stop-work action Monday if no new contract is reached by then.

The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 5, AFL-CIO, yesterday sent a notice to Peter Schall, chairman of the Hawaii Hotel Council, to inform him of the union's plan. Union members have been working on a contract extension since March 30, 2000, but notified the council that the agreement will be terminated Monday.

The timing of the work stoppage would coincide with the Asian Development Bank conference that starts Monday in Waikiki.

About 5,000 employees at the Hyatt, Sheraton and Hilton hotels would be affected.

But a union official said recently that union members have been negotiating on a new contract for more than a year and the timing of the work stoppage was coincidental. Last week, nearly 2,000 union members held a march in Waikiki to build support.

Local 5 officials emphasized that the union is not going on strike Monday. Local 5 Western Regional Director Sherri Chiesa said the union will hold a stop-work meeting "so that our members can review and evaluate the position of the employers at that time."

"We anticipate either holding a ratification vote in the event the negotiating committee is in a position to recommend acceptance of an offer from the council, or in the alternative, deciding on what other economic actions are required to ensure a fair contract settlement," Chiesa said.

She added that she has asked a federal mediator to assist in the negotiations.

Local 5 and the council are scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. tomorrow.