Posted on: Sunday, June 19, 2005

34 lose jobs temporarily at Turtle Bay

By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer

At least 34 Turtle Bay resort workers were temporarily removed from their jobs yesterday after union members staged a one-day walkout on Friday in protest of disciplinary actions against two other workers.

The action is one in a series of disputes between Benchmark Hospitality, which operates the hotel, and Local 5 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, which represents workers.

"The hotel is sold out," said Abid Butt, vice president and general manager at Turtle Bay Resort. "This is the second time the union has walked out. We had to replace them and because we have a very limited labor pool on the North Shore, we had to make some commitments to people to bring them out."

Butt said the union workers will be back on the job within two to five days, depending on what commitments the resort made with replacements.

Butt said he believes the walkout was an attempt by Local 5 members to "deal on the street" instead of taking issues to the bargaining table.

Local 5 organizer Laura Moye said Benchmark's reaction to the walkout, as well as the earlier suspensions of two employees, were attempts by the company to intimidate workers and those who support them.

Union workers at the resort have been without a contract for 2 1/2 years. Local 5 has called for other unions to boycott the hotel, and on May 21 employees held a one-day walkout to protest safety conditions.

Moye said one worker was suspended after the May walkout for allegedly calling a worker who crossed the picket line a scab.

She said the second worker was suspended after he allegedly approached a co-worker and said: "How did court go?"

The statement was a reference to the co-worker's testimony for Benchmark when the company made an unsuccessful bid to get a temporary restraining order against the union, she said.

The first employee was reinstated after five days, she said, but the man who mentioned the court case has not been allowed to return to work.

Moye said that when the union pressed for information about his case, they were told management was considering terminating him.

Butt said the disciplined workers were intimidating others. Moye contends neither disciplined employee was disruptive and both were engaging in protected speech.

Moye said the union has encouraged workers who are scheduled to work today to go to their jobs. Other workers, she said, are being asked to report to picket lines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"Our workers are not going to be scared out of their rights," she said.

Reach Karen Blakeman at 535-2430 or kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.