SAN FRANCISCO, CA (10/5/98) -- Management at the downtown Marriott hotel suddenly decided to give its union-represented workers substantial wage increases last week, and cut the cost of their health benefits as well.
In January 1997, the hotel had given its non-union workers a 4% salary hike, and another similar raise last January, according to hotel human relations director Donna Shepherd. It cut the cost of health benefits from $50-70/week to $10.
But the hotel didn't give union workers raises or benefit cuts at the same time. Last week's raise finally brings union workers into line with the hotel's non-union employees. Room cleaners will see their wages rise by as much as $1/hour, and union-represented employees will receive a back-wage payment of up to $2000.
Hotel and Restaurant Employees Local 2, which represents almost 1000 Marriott employees at the hotel, filed extensive charges a year ago against the company, alleging that it was discriminating against union-represented workers. It also charged the hotel with using that difference in treatment in an effort to decertify the union.
"The message was, if you make the union go away, you can get these benefits too," said room server Ramon Guevara, a Local 2 activist.
The decertification campaign is in legal limbo due to union charges before the National Labor Relations Board. Meanwhile, investigation of its allegations of anti-union conduct by the hotel are expected to result in a massive unfair labor practices complaint in coming weeks.
The union says the hotel suddenly raised the wages of union workers in an effort to fend off those charges. "Marriott's sudden change of heart in making these back payments and implementing benefit improvements is only in response to the impending prosecution by the NLRB and to pressure by its workers," said Local 2 President Mike Casey.
Donna Shepherd told the SF Chronicle last week that the raises had nothing to do with the hotel's legal predicament.
OAKLAND RECYCLING WORKERS WIN THEIR 5-WEEK STRIKE By David Bacon
OAKLAND, CA (10/5/98) -- Strikers at Oakland's California Waste Solutions recycling operation went back to work last week, after signing their first union contract with company owner David Duong. Workers had been on strike for five weeks, demanding wage increases and better protection against the health and safety dangers involved in sorting through discarded trash.
"This is a big victory for the strikers," said Roberto Flotte, business agent for Local 6 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represented the recycling workers. He pointed to provisions in the new agreement which will give all CWS workers at least a $1/hour increase. The entry-level wage will rise immediately from below $6 to $7/hour, and then go up 30¢/hour every year for the next five years.
During their strike, CWS workers discovered that the company hadn't complied with the wage and benefit provisions written into its city contract since 1992. Meanwhile, city residents complained that trash wasn't being picked up, despite the company's effort to continue operations with strikebreakers, and neighbors complained about noise and pollution from the facility..
On September 29, the Oakland City Council finally told Duong he was in danger of losing his city contract entirely. Councilmember Ignacio De La Fuente then brokered a settlement.
"This strike was just the latest in a wave of job actions by immigrant workers in the East Bay," explained Local 6 organizer Alfredo Flotte. "People are tired of sweatshop conditions, whether it's sorting garbage or working in factories."
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