(July 10, 2008) -- Hotel workers and their supporters are scheduled to take part in a downtown LB march and rally at late afternoon today (July 10), with a scheduled start at Ocean Blvd/Golden Shore at 5:30 p.m., for what a release calls the beginning of a "major effort to improve conditions at downtown Long Beach hotels."
Calling itself the "Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs & Healthy Communities," the group says "hundreds [will] march through downtown Long Beach" citing "poverty wages [and] lack of health benefits in the lucrative tourism industry" as "contributing to [LB's] high poverty rates."
Among those scheduled to take part: Councilmembers Patrick O'Donnell (in person) and Tonia Reyes Uranga (via a statement to be read) along with Norma Chinchilla, Ph.D. (CSULB Professor) and Alexandra Torres Glancid (Executive Director Women in Non-Traditional Employment Roles).
The release indicates a rally is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Ocean Blvd/Golden Shore, with a march heading east on Ocean from Golden Shore to Pine Ave, south on Pine to Shoreline Dr., west on Shoreline Dr. to Aquarium Way, south on the bridge above Aquarium Way to Shoreline Park...with a 6:30 p.m. rally at Shoreline Park.
In its release, the group says:
Despite the fact that the Long Beach tourism industry is doing well and hotels are seeing a steady increase in room and occupancy rates, hotel workers are making poverty wages. The average yearly salary for a Long Beach hotel, tourism, and arts worker is $19,000, with few able to afford health insurance. According to a preliminary survey, approximately 38% of these workers are on public assistance and 39% are without health insurance.
The survey also finds that the vast majority of Long Beach hotel workers live in the city, suggesting that poor conditions in the industry20are contributing to one of the nation’s worst poverty rates.
The Long Beach Coalition for Good Jobs and Healthy Communities is an alliance of Long Beach community and religious leaders seeking to improve conditions for their fellow residents, the tourism industry and the City as a whole.
Members and supporters were also visible at the July 8 City Council meeting, with multiple speakers during the period for public comment on non-agendized items.
Mike Murchison, a spokesman for the Long Beach Hospitality Alliance [hotel owners/mgm't] said in an emailed statement:
We respect the right of anyone including employees at our hotels to express their opinions on labor related issues. In addition, the hotels support the right of their employees to choose in the privacy of a voting booth whether or not to be represented by a union.
Union demonstrations and pressure tactics will not cause the hotels to waiver from their position that the union's desire for 'card check and neutrality' is merely a device to guarantee the union more dues paying members; without respecting the hotel employees right to free choice.
It should be noted, that the parade/picket line individuals are from LA not LB, anyone can tell based on the buses that are dropping off individuals. Long Beach hotel employees can make their own decisions without influence from individuals in LA.
On behalf of the hotels they believe that the only fair way for employees to decide this issue is through a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board, where no one is able to influence the employees choice as they vote in private. The hotels impacted will respect whatever decision is made through an NLRB election.
The Alliance hopes that everyone understands that we desire to follow the same process used to elect union leaders and public officials. Why should we be any different than how a Council member is elected?
The major non-union hotels in Long Beach believe, as a result of regular employee satisfaction surveys, that overall employees are pleased to be working at non-union hotels. Not every situation is decided by the amount of the hourly wage.
Just as important are the working conditions, ability to transfer or move up, cross-training, educational reimbursement, free meals, incentive plans, discounted travel, and overall job satisfaction. Significantly, employees in non-union hotels have the right to deal directly with their employers on any issue, whether it is collectively or individually, without having to go through a union, pay union dues, or be subject to union rules.
Finally, none of the member hotels of the Long Beach Hospitality Alliance have been formally contacted by the NLRB or a Union rep, so we don't even know what Union group is trying to organize if any.
