(Dec. 13, 2006) -- Despite threatened litigation by two major LB hotel operators, and following a closed session with LB's City Attorney, the LB City Council has voted 5-3 (DeLong, Gabelich, Lerch dissenting) to give final approval to a "Labor Peace" ordinance requiring hotels operating on city-owned land (when their lease is renewed or modified) to sign an agreement with labor organizations seeking to represent the hotel's hospitality workers.

Following the vote, LB consultant Mike Murchison, speaking for the hotel operators ("Hospitality Alliance") opposed to the measure, told LBReport.com that "the Council majority's action will cost taxpayers a minimum of a million dollars"...and added that this was "money that could provide the equivalent of eight police officers or fill lots of potholes."

Mr. Murchison said the Hospitality Alliance "fully believes it will prevail in court and is willing to take this issue to the highest levels," adding that "there is also strong consideration for a referendum" [a petition initiated method to invite Council repeal of the ordinance or require a public vote on it.]

The motion to approve the measure at the Dec. 12 Council meeting was made by Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal, and seconded by 2d district Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal. Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal's June election to the City Council was supported by a nearly $35,000 independent expenditure [money not controlled by candidate or her campaign] by "Vota 100%," a sponsored political committee of "UNITE HERE!," a union whose local affiliate (LB-OC) sought to enact a Labor Peace agreement in LB.

UNITE HERE Local 681 represents hotel workers, housekeepers, bellmen, servers, cooks, dishwashers, and other hotel employees and restaurant workers at two hotels on city-owned property (Coast LB Hotel and Queen Mary)...but currently doesn't represent workers at the downtown Hyatt Regency and LB Airport Marriott (also on city owned property). The union local also represents workers at the LB Yacht Club, LB's Petroleum Club and several LB restaurants, its website indicates.

As enacted, the Labor Peace measure enacted by the Council states in pertinent part:

After months of committee hearings, the Labor Peace agreement was brought to the full Council in mid-November as one of the final acts of now-former 6th district Councilwoman Laura Richardson after she'd won election to the 55th Assembly district. The measure was approved on its November first reading on a 5-2 vote (DeLong, Lerch dissenting) before Richardson departed the Council (her former 6th district Council seat is now vacant).

Critics charged that the "Labor Peace" measure amounts to City Hall interfering in management-labor matters by giving the union a de facto organizing tool. Lawyers for the hotel lessees contend this violates federal labor law [interfering in employees' right to decide whether or not to be represented] and violates the hotels' leases with City Hall.

As recited in its text, the measure's stated purpose is:

As the measure wound its way through months of Council committee hearings, the "Hospitality Alliance" fought a pitched battle to dilute or stop the measure. At one point, LB's City Attorney office indicated publicly that it would feel more comfortable with more diluted text..but also indicated that it will defend the measure as enacted...which it may well have to do.

Dec. 12 Council action on the item opened with Mayor Bob Foster and City Attorney Bob Shannon indicating that City Hall had received specific threats of litigation on the matter...and the Council went into closed session. When Councilmembers returned, Councilman Gary DeLong made a motion to send the item to the Council's federal legislation committee.

Vice Mayor Bonnie Lowenthal made a substitute motion, seconded by Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal, to adopt the Labor Peace ordinance in the form it was approved on first reading in November...and it passed. Yes: B. Lowenthal, S. Lowenthal, O'Donnell, Schipske, Reyes Uranga. No: DeLong, Gabelich, Lerch. Vacant: 6th district.

Hospitality Alliance advocate Murchison said after the vote, "The action taken by the majority of the Council is something that taxpayers need to wake up to. This is not the best use of the city's funds and is strictly a union device to unionize hotels on city property [LB Hyatt and Airport Marriott] and "is also a violation of their existing lease with the city."

And Murchison signed off with a personal comment [separate from the Hospitality Alliance]. "I've lived here all my life, and in my opinion, this leads us down the road to 'living wage' and other issues that are business unfriendly to the citizens of Long Beach." He added, "Do we really want to be like Los Angeles?"