DOWNTOWN : Restaurant Workers Protest to Save Jobs

Workers at a 23-year-old restaurant that is scheduled to close are negotiating with the L.A. Omni Hotel to require any new restaurant opening in the building to rehire them.

The workers demonstrated last week outside the Minami Restaurant, 930 Wilshire Blvd., demanding that their jobs be saved. Many of the 14 employees, mostly waitresses, cooks and busboys, have worked at the Japanese restaurant from six to 20 years.

Supporters of the Japanese and Latino workers included members of the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates, the Asian American Labor Alliance and UCLA Workers Support Committee, which wrote letters and demonstrated with the workers. Some workers also spoke out at community meetings.

The Minami Restaurant was scheduled to close June 30 when its lease at the hotel expired. Restaurant workers said they believed a new restaurant would be opened on the site. They want an opportunity to be rehired so they could maintain their seniority and membership in Local 11 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union.

Their contract provides them with job security and fully paid family health benefits, said Jennifer Skurnik, union staff director.

“We’ve been working here quite a long time,” said Reiko Ueno, 55, a 15-year waitress. “If they are not going to hire us, I have to go look for another job. I need the money.”

But a representatives of the Omni Hotel said it is unclear what business will open at the site, although a restaurant “has not been ruled out.”

“We are looking at our options right now,” said Terry Wills, hotel spokeswoman. “We are looking at what will meet the demands of the guests.”

After the demonstration and show of community support, the hotel began negotiating with the union. Negotiations were ongoing as of last week.