Strikers try to widen action

NORTHWEST GLENDALE — More than 30 boisterous employees of the Hilton Glendale were joined in a demonstration on Tuesday by union members, clergy and a city councilman seeking to extend a boycott against the hotel operator.

The boycott stems from a year-long battle to join with Unite Here — a local union that represents hotel employees among many others — to achieve better wages and health benefits. They had previously called for Hilton Glendale clients to boycott the hotel, and have now asked for a boycott of five new Eagle Hospitality Properties Trust’s hotels. Eagle Hospitality operates the Hilton Glendale.

“We are asking all clients to stay away from these properties — do not eat, do not sleep in these hotels,” said Hilton bartender Angela Reid, who led the event.

In addition to the Hilton Glendale, she called for patrons to boycott Eagle’s Embassy Suites Columbus/Dublin in Ohio, Hilton Cincinnati Airport Hotel in Kentucky, Cincinnati Marriott RiverCenter in Kentucky, Embassy Suites Hotel Cincinnati-RiverCenter in Kentucky and the Marriot Southwest at Burr Ridge in Illinois.

“We know that these hotels are facing similar problems that we are,” she told the group.

After rallying the group on the need for social justice, Reid introduced several guest speakers, one of whom was Tom Walsh, secretary-treasurer of Unite Here Local 11.

The Hilton owes some appreciation to its employees, he said.

“They make that money because of the hard work of the men and women in the hotel,” he said.

City Councilman Frank Quintero joined him in addressing the crowd.

“I want you to know many, many people in the city of Glendale are with you,” he said.

Quintero said he supported the workers in their efforts and hoped to see them achieve their goals.

“I am behind the workers 100%,” he said before the rally. “Eagle Hospitality has to do the right thing and let the workers participate in their choice.”

The workers had been moving toward joining a union, but their efforts were not being heard by Eagle Hospitality officials, said Paulina Gonzalez a spokeswoman for Unite Here.

Hilton management has refused to sign a card-check neutrality agreement, which would allow the union to poll the workers using cards that employees could fill out in private.

But hotel General Manager Linda Norman said she has been open to her staff’s opinions, and that a card-check agreement would take away the opportunity for employees to vote in a process that would protect their right to anonymity.

“Our team is well aware that I respect their right to choose whether or not to join a union,” she said.

She did not see the reasoning behind the expanded boycott, she said. “I’m at a loss as to why,” she said. “If they are truly interested in what is best for team members at Hilton Glendale, then I would suggest this team go through an election process and move on so we can move forward.”

Norman pointed to recent surveys she said suggest most employees are happy with the Glendale hotel’s work environment. In a survey in August, 92% of the Hilton Glendale’s 250 employees said they found the hotel to be a good place to work, Norman said.

“For me, that’s the most telling indication so far of what the current environment is,” Norman said.

But supporters of the workers demonstrating on Tuesday said the hotel can do more.

Sister Mary Ann Lenore Eifert of the Sisters of Charity has been involved in supporting the Hilton’s employees.

“I’m very much in favor of the employees — it’s a matter of justice,” she said. “Employees deserve a living wage, which includes affordable health care.”

She hopes their situation will be resolved promptly, she said. “They are not looking to be millionaires, they are just looking to be able to live,” she said.