Decision on strike for hotel workers is near

By Kelly Yamanouchi
Advertiser Staff Writer

The union representing 4,000 hotel workers said last night that contract negotiations with Sheraton and Hilton hotel management are going down to the wire and that a decision on whether to strike could come at any time.

Eric Gill, secretary-treasurer for Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 5, said yesterday evening that the union was waiting for a response from the Hilton to its latest contract proposal.

Gill said a decision on whether to strike would depend on the Hilton's response.

"We're certainly going to take their temperature ... and decide what we're going to do," Gill said.

"We're not optimistic about a settlement," he said, but added "If they make progress and get close then we'll keep talking."

Talks with Hilton began about 3 p.m. yesterday and were still going on late last night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

The Hilton talks followed four days of negotiations with Sheraton parent Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

Starwood and Local 5 ended talks about 2 a.m. yesterday. Negotiators from both sides met again briefly just before 2 p.m. at the union's offices.

Hotel and union officials said talks with Starwood did not end with a contract agreement. However, both sides indicated that progress was made. No new talks have been scheduled with Starwood so far.

The talks with Hilton management were originally scheduled for Wednesday but had been postponed to allow more time for talks with Starwood.

Attorney Robert Katz is the lead negotiator for both hotel companies. Because of that, Ward said, the Hilton talks that started yesterday afternoon were expected to go more quickly.

"We're not going to rehash what we were talking about with Sheraton again," said Local 5 spokesman Jason Ward.

According to Local 5, a key unresolved issue is subcontracting terms, including Hilton's use of about 150 subcontracted workers for its "Team Clean" operation and Starwood's plan to preserve its ability to shut down restaurants staffed with union members to open up non-union restaurants with subcontractors.

Medical coverage and wages also are critical issues, according to Ward.

Talks of a possible hotel strike come at a crucial time for Hawai'i's struggling tourism industry.

"Anybody in the tourism industry should be very worried about a hotel workers' strike," said Rex Johnson, the new executive director of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority. "I'm very hopeful that both management and labor will get to a position where this is not going to happen."

"They worked through many of the issues that they had, and so it's just a matter of having the time to finish it," Starwood spokesman David Uchiyama said.

Hotel officials did not characterize the tone of the talks or what the remaining sticking points might be.

"Obviously the hotel industry on a national level is not doing as well as it was last year because of Sept. 11 and before that because of the economic situation overall," Ward said. "But our members know that the hotels are making a lot of money here."

The Local 5 talks continued as union officials said this week that a strike may be imminent at the five Waikiki hotels represented by Starwood and Hilton, as union leaders have grown increasingly pessimistic about contract negotiations that started in March.

Gov. Ben Cayetano has been monitoring the situation.

Any job action could affect the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the Sheraton Waikiki, Princess Ka'iulani, Sheraton Moana Surfrider and Royal Hawaiian hotels.

Reach Kelly Yamanouchi at 535-2470 or kyamanouchi@honoluluadvertiser.com.