As many of you may know, there's been a fair amount of discussion among
AAG members concerning the current labor situation at the San Francisco
Hilton, the location of AAG's scheduled 2007 meeting. Although a union
hotel, the S.F. Hilton has been under a boycott for the past two years as
its workers, along with hotel workers at 12 other S.F. hotels, have been
without a contract since August 2004. This is an unsettling fact, as the
AAG has taken steps in the past to support hotel workers and their
families by making informed consumer choices regarding union hotels when
booking meetings. So, what to do? Over the past several months, many AAG
members have been engaged in discussing this question while monitoring the
labor situation in San Francisco. Here's an update of the situation as it
currently stands:
First, hotel labor contracts have expired across the country throughout
2006 (in fact, the contract covering Chicago union hotel employees expired
Aug. 31). The union that represents these workers, UNITE HERE, is
currently engaged in negotiations with hotel employers in all major cities
where contracts have expired, including San Francisco. The fact that
these negotiations are taking place nationwide has relevance for
individual cities and specific hotels within those cities, such as the
S.F. Hilton. Significantly, a recent agreement signed by Hilton and
UNITE HERE nationally seems to signal positive movement concerning the
S.F. labor dispute. This "Partnership for Future Growth" agreement
stipulates that UNITE HERE and Hilton " will work together toward labor
peace in other cities with collective bargaining this year" (see the
following press release for more info:
http://www.unitehere.org/presscenter/release.asp?ID=1172). Further,
Hilton and UNITE HERE Local 1 in Chicago just signed an agreement (see
attached story below). While positive, these agreements by no means
indicate an end to the dispute in SF. We still need to actively
monitor the situation, as any further action concerning our upcoming
conference is dependent on what happens between UNITE HERE and Hilton in
the coming weeks.
Second, we have exciting news about a recent decision made by the AAG last
week related to union hotel issues. Under the guidance of
Executive Director Doug Richardson, the AAG formerly joined the
Informed Meetings Exchange (INMEX), an organization that analyzes
information about the global hospitality industry and provides this
information to its members. INMEX's services help meet the direct
needs of the AAG as a consumer (e.g., providing research on contract
language when booking meetings), and they help ensure that the AAG's
dollars go to hotels that respect their customers and workers. Of
relevance to the S.F. Hilton situation, INMEX members have access to
up-to-the-minute information regarding contract negotiations and labor
disputes at hotels across the country as INMEX works closely with UNITE
HERE. Over the long term, we feel the AAG's decision to join INMEX
greatly helps in our efforts to ensure that the AAG's money is spent
responsibly in ways that support hotel workers whenever possible. In
the short term, this decision will significantly help us to monitor the
labor situation in S.F. at the organizational level.
Doug Richardson's role in brokering this relationship between the AAG and
INMEX deserves our recognition. While this is a huge step forward for the
AAG, we need to make sure that this sign-on translates into a willingness
on the part of the AAG to work with INMEX in the future. One thing we can
do right now is applaud Doug for his decision to join INMEX. Doug had
heard that members and councillors alike were concerned about the
possibility of having to cross a picket line next year, and knowing this
reassured him that he was acting in the best interests of the
association. So please email, write, or call Doug to let him know that
you were following this issue and are pleased at the new partnership
between the AAG and INMEX. It's important that we get as many AAG members
as possible to recognize this decision. Here's Doug's contact info:
Doug Richardson, Executive Director
[log in to unmask]
202-234-1450
While the AAG's membership in INMEX ensures up-to-the-minute
information regarding the labor situation in S.F., a number of us are
closely following the situation as well. We'll let you know as soon as we
learn anything new.
Best,
Virginia Parks and Chris Niedt
p.s. Here's the INMEX website: www.inmex.org.
Also, see the below LA Times article for a Chicago Hilton update:
latimes.com
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-briefs1.1sep01,1,1380808.story?
coll=la-headlines-business
IN BRIEF / LABOR
Hilton Reaches Pact With Chicago Union
From the Associated Press
September 1, 2006
Hilton Hotels Corp. announced a tentative agreement with the Unite Here
union on a new contract covering 2,300 employees at four Chicago hotels.
The three-year agreement is subject to ratification by the union's Local 1
and Local 450 chapters and covers Hilton Chicago, Hilton O'Hare
Airport, the
Drake and Palmer House Hilton. The pact includes improved pay, pension
and
healthcare provisions.
Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels said details would be released after
next
week's ratification vote.
The agreement is the second between Hilton and the union this summer. The
sides reached an agreement July 29 on a six-year contract for employees
at
all Hilton hotels in New York.
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