Hostesses’ Protest

Aiming at the Valentine’s Day cruise travel crowd, three fired cruise hostesses and their union backers plan to air their grievances at a noon rally today as passengers embark at the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal. The hostesses were fired by contractor James Woods last summer, shortly after he took over the meet-and-greet end of the business for Royal Caribbean Lines, which runs weekend cruises from San Pedro to Ensenada, Mexico. Twenty-two other workers remain employed by Woods. The hostesses, who stay on the dock, check in up to 1,800 passengers per trip.

Myrna Mendoza said Woods arbitrarily changed hours and imposed new work rules, including a prohibition on wearing pants, and has intimidated workers who want to join the International Longshore & Warehouse Union.

Woods said he couldn’t discuss details of the dispute because a complaint is pending before the National Labor Relations Board, but said the three employees “did not meet our standards.” Woods said he provides a jacket-and-skirt uniform for women employees, but that could change, he added.

“We are not saying they could never, ever wear pants,” he said.