DoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Beach hotel workers call for respect from management

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

DoubleTree by Hilton Alana Waikiki Beach hotel workers organized a public action in their hotel lobby this morning, demanding respect from management, safe workloads, and a fair process to decide whether to unionize.

โ€œOur decision to demand a fair process to decide whether or not to unionize was not about the money, but rather the respect. I have seen so much favoritism, inconsistency, and targeting at the DoubleTree. Whilst the bulls eye has yet to be on my back, I have seen my coworkers unfairly punished and questioned. No warnings, no due process, no respect. It’s time for some checks and balances. We are not going to stand for this treatment,โ€ said Alana Braun, a server at the DoubleTree Hilton Alana.

โ€œI want to secure a better future for me and my family. I want better treatment, to have respect and dignity at my workplace,โ€ said Flora Matias, a housekeeper at the DoubleTree Hilton Alana.

The workers were joined by several community supporters, including Honolulu City Councilmember Ron Menor, State Representative Amy Perruso, and Pastor Won-Seok Yuh from Faith Action for Community Equity. They stood in support of the workers and called on DoubleTreeโ€™s management to give them a fair process to decide whether to unionize, with no retaliation against the workers.

โ€œI think all workers have the right to unionize and are better off if theyโ€™re unionized. Itโ€™s important to me that there be a fair process for these workers to decide whether to unionize, that there not be any retaliation against the workers. The community is committed to making sure that all workers are fairly supported,โ€ said State Representative Amy Perruso.

Several workers from the Hilton Hawaiian Village joined the action in support of the DoubleTree workers. Local 5 represents over around 1,800 workers at the Hilton Hawaiian Village โ€“ the largest hotel in Hawaii and the largest Hilton hotel in the world โ€“ as well as nearly 200 workers at Hawaii Care & Cleaning (HCC), who are subcontracted to do housekeeping work at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Their union contracts expired in July 2018. Contract negotiations will commence on March 22 and 23.

โ€œI support workers at DoubleTree Hilton Alana. After hearing the stories of what theyโ€™ve been through, itโ€™s really unbelievable. I support them all the way because they deserve respect from their employer. Iโ€™m with them 100%,โ€ said Maria Salantes, who has worked as a housekeeper at the Hilton Hawaiian Village for 37 years.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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