fact that supports the feeling is the mere fact that the union has not presented us with any petition nor pushed on any other legal fronts.
“If they had more than that they would-n’t be fighting over union buttons, let’s face it,” he added. “If they had union support (among employees) they would be fighting for a lot more than that.”
One Doubletree worker who asked not to be identified said Tuesday the pluses of organizing are still unclear and the process isn’t worth the hassle. The union turned off the majority of workers by being too aggressive in recruiting, the worker said.
“They would walk on to the property and harass people,” said the four-year employee. “People felt unsafe.”
Two Santa Monica hotels — the Viceroy and the Fairmont Miramar — are already unionized.
Two others — Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel and Four Points Sheraton — have agreed to allow workers to decide if they want union representation in what’s called a “card check election.” Under a card check election, union officials have an extended period of time to gather signatures from employees who want to be organized.
Six other hotels in Santa Monica do not have any union presence at all. They are the Doubletree, Radisson Huntley Hotel, Shutters on the Beach, Le Merigot Beach Hotel, Holiday Inn Santa Monica Pier and Casa Del Mar.
Pollack gave each side one month to present the NLRB with written briefs explaining why they should prevail in the case, Spillane said. The ruling can be appealed to the NLRB itself, in Washington, D.C., and that ruling can then be appealed to federal courts.
The NLRB does not award punitive damages.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 13, 2003. Read the original PDF.