Local 2 strikes again

By Greg Zeman
The Guardsman

Unite Here Local 2, a self-professed “fighting union” representing over 9,000 hotel workers at 62 hotels in San Francisco, opened a three-day strike of roughly 300 workers at the San Francisco Grand Hyatt on April 7.

Local 2 President Mike Casey has promised future actions at other downtown hotels if an agreement is not made on worker health care costs.

Grand Hyatt General Manager David Nadelman said that the union was acting rashly too early in the negotiations and accused them of being “completely out of touch.”

The conflict stems from distribution of financial responsibility for rising health care costs. Workers believe they are already paying their fair share.

Previous failed negotiations between Local 2 and hotel ownership led to a 54-day lockout followed by a two-year union boycott in 2004.