Posted on: Saturday, June 18, 2005

Tensions high at Turtle Bay

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

Labor unrest at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore reached a boiling point after hotel management told union officials that temporary workers will be hired to replace employees who took part in a work stoppage yesterday.

About 270 hotel employees who are members of Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employee Union walked off their jobs to protest the suspension of one worker and the threatened firing of another. On May 21, employees picketed the North Shore resort to protest what they say are unsafe working conditions.

Following yesterday's walkout, hotel management sent a letter to Eric Gill, Local 5's secretary/treasurer, saying that the hotel is "in the process of hiring temporary replacements for those who have chosen to participate in the latest work stoppage."

In the letter, human resources director Nancy Chapman Ramos said that to secure commitments from the temporary workers, the hotel had to ensure "several days employment. In fact that has occurred."

Ramos said union workers that have been replaced will be notified and they will be given a date to return, "assuming, of course, that they wish to return and have communicated to us an unconditional offer to do so."

The hotel did not say how many workers will be replaced, nor did it say how long the temporary workers will be retained. Turtle Bay officials could not be reached for further comment late last night.

Local 5 organizer Laura Moye said the hotel cannot fire a worker for striking and the latest action is "an unnecessary act of escalation against the workers." She said at least five workers have said they were told to expect to be out of work for at least a week.

Moye said workers intend to return to work today and could expect a showdown with management and the replacement workers.

Should there be another walkout, the hotel has threatened to lock out union employees, according to Ramos' letter.