Korean hotel, union still wrangle - at a distance.

Union files discrimination charges with national panel

Following union charges of discrimination and assault against the Wilshire Plaza/Koreana Hotel filed with a government agency, the union representing hotel workers and the hotel management have yet to discuss settling their differences, though both parties admit being open to such negotiations.

While the 12,000-member Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union Local 11 has made continuous efforts to unionize workers at Wilshire Plaza/Koreana since December 1991 when the hotel was purchased from Hyatt Corp., the July 30 charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board against the hotel have served to escalate efforts.

And, according to research analyst and Local 11 spokesman Lee Strieb, the union has attempted to sit down with the hotel numerous times but with no success. "They have refused all of our overtures to set up meetings," he said.

But, countered Sean Kim, general manager of the hotel, "If they want to meet, we're ready. They never approached us for negotiation."

Asked if the hotel would sign a union contract, Kim replied, "I have no idea. We can't say before the meeting. After meeting with them, then we (the hotel and Local 11) can talk about anything."

Though both sides have no set time line for a meeting, Kim said that "we're going to do it soon."

Undoubtedly, one of the top issues will be the charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board against the hotel for "deliberately and selectively" refusing to rehire 175 former Hyatt Wilshire employees.

"These are very serious charges," said Byron Kohn, acting regional director of the NLRB. He noted that the board does not set official hearings until a preliminary investigation is conducted. "If we conclude that there is evidence of specific allegations and the charged party is not willing to settle, then there is an administrative hearing," Kohn said.

This case is set for trial before an administrative law judge on Oct. 21. If the outcome of the hearing is unfavorable to Koreana, "the types of remedies in appropriate cases include the awarding of back pay and an affirmative order for the hotel to deal with the local union," Kohn pointed out. These actions would be applicable to this case, he confirmed, but could also be reversed should an appeal be victorious.

Koreana's Kim scoffed at the charges. "We don't think we're guilty," he said. If the outcome of the Oct. 21 hearing is unfavorable, "sure, we'll wait for it to go to court," he continued, insisting that "we think we're not guilty."

The director of human resources for the hotel, Martin Navarro, called the wages and benefits for the 190 hotel workers "competitive" though he would not quote a dollar amount. He called the charges of cutting wages and benefits for the hotel's current workforce "false." He claimed that Koreana is "paying the same amount or higher in some cases."

Not surprisingly, Local 11's Strieb said that "given how strong the evidence is that backs up (the charges), we feel that they'll be found guilty."

But, Strieb said that the union would not sit by while the case is adjudicated. "We're planning more frequent demonstrations outside the hotel, more civil disobedience actions, and we'll take our case to the media in Korea."

Kim was sensitive about this saying that "my understanding is that they (Local 11) concentrate on news media play, because they never approached us without talking to news reporters."

Strieb, though, said that dealing with the media, especially in Korea, is important since the same family who owns the Koreana also runs Chosun Ilbo, a major Korean daily newspaper.

"We also want to contact people in Seoul, Korea, who can talk to the Bang Family, whose Korean Hotel Co. purchased the Wilshire Plaza/Koreana Hotel in December of last year."

At that time there was criticism when management fired the majority of its workers and replaced them with non-union employees. Kim denied this, saying that "many of the union members couldn't apply because the union (Local 11) gathered up their applications and submitted them after the closing of our hiring station."

Regardless, local leaders criticized the hotel, saying its treatment of workers "could exacerbate already existing racial tensions in Los Angeles."

And ironically, the purchase of the hotel from Hyatt Corp. came only one month after Local 11 had settled a bitter three-year dispute with Hyatt management resulting in a pro-union wage and benefits contract for the workers there.