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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, December 18, 2009

2 hotel workers settle case against union


Advertiser Staff

Two O'ahu hotel employees have obtained a federally mandated settlement from union officials with UNITE HERE Local 5 and its national affiliate.

The two received free legal assistance from the National Right to Work Foundation, a Virginia-based nonprofit foundation.

Brenda Lee Orr, a nonunion employee of the Turtle Bay Resort, and Grant Suzuki, a nonunion employee of the Hilton Hawaiian Beach Resort and Spa, filed federal charges against UNITE HERE Local 5 last year, accusing union officials of illegally forcing nonunion employees to pay dues for activities unrelated to workplace bargaining.

Suzuki also alleged that union officials failed to provide him with a federally mandated breakdown of all union expenditures.

Foundation spokesman Will Collins said the settlement was finalized Monday and the exact dollar amount has yet to be determined.

"We estimate about 60 percent of dues will be returned to Orr and Suzuki," he said.