Hotel Workers, Riot Police Clash During Protest

In a sometimes tense dress rehearsal for the kind of confrontations that may occur during the upcoming Democratic National Convention, about 400 union workers faced off against riot police Thursday during a protest march in downtown Los Angeles.

The march, organized by the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 11 to protest conditions at the nonunion New Otani Hotel, drew about 200 Los Angeles police officers to the hotel at 1st and Los Angeles streets. Many were on horseback and all were dressed in riot gear.

Intended by union organizers as a revival of old grievances against New Otani, the demonstration served as a statement from both sides.

Quick and aggressive, police revealed a polished response plan to large protests; loud and well-organized, the marchers demonstrated their increasing strength and sophistication as the convention approaches.

“I hadn’t realized it until it started, but this really is a preview of coming distractions,” said David Koff, spokesman for the hotel union. “I’ve seen how police have responded to our protests for years and they’re getting better at this. But we’re getting better, too.”

As they had planned, about 40 protesters were arrested without incident for civil disobedience after they blocked traffic by stretching across the intersection makeshift clothes lines to symbolize the airing of dirty laundry at New Otani.

Others stood on nearby curbs, tooting parade horns and applauding each arrest as a message to New Otani that they will never quit their struggle for better conditions.

Since the early 1980s, when New Otani employees voted against organizing, the union and the hotel have been battling over such issues as health care benefits, sick leave and unpaid lunch breaks.

A rally before the march saw local political leaders castigating the hotel for not being more union-friendly, a charge New Otani owners reject.

“The city will not do business with any hotel that does not treat its workers fairly,” said Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg, joined at the podium by Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) and California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres.

Angeles Valverde, a purchasing agent at the hotel who was among those arrested, added: “They have to learn to treat their workers with dignity and respect.”

Ron Kipling, a New Otani administrator, defended the hotel’s policies. “We like to think we are paying better than 75% to 80% of all the hotels out there,” he said.

Police and protest organizers made similar complaints against each other after the 90-minute demonstration was over, each claiming that the other side was overly aggressive. No one on either side was injured.

Though both sides agreed the event went smoothly, there were a few tense moments.

For instance, union organizers were indignant at the large police response, saying they have always been civil in their demonstrations.

“The police knew they weren’t going to get anything other than disciplined action on the union’s part,” Koff said. “The last thing we want is for a worker to get his head bashed in.”

But that’s what some people figured would happen at one point when a troop of officers trotted quickly up 1st Street toward the congregation that chanted such mantras as “Si se puede” and “Boycott.”

“Here it comes,” one marcher observed as he backpedaled toward safety. Later, he and others were herded by police toward the curbs, away from those being arrested.

Koff described such maneuvers as a play to the several TV cameras on the street and circling overhead in helicopters.

“Like any other armed force, they came and saw this as an opportunity to get some field training, instead of somewhere off in the hills,” he said. “It’s a dress rehearsal for them in terms of where you draw the line.”

LAPD Sgt. Jeff Hanson acknowledged the cameras played a role in how police responded.