Hawaii Hotel Workers' Union Launches Imperial Hawaii Resort Cyber-Picket Line

Business Wire, June 25, 2003

Business Editors

HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 25, 2003

After several months of regular picket lines in front of the Imperial Hawaii Resort, Hawaii's hotel workers' union is going on-line to reach the homes and offices of thousands of timeshare owners and potential guests. The website that Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union (H.E.R.E.) Local 5 launched today, www.ImperialofWaikiki-Alert.info, provides information about the current labor dispute and raises some other issues of concern to members of the Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club, the timeshare owners' association at the Imperial.

For decades the Imperial has followed the pattern of contracts negotiated by Local 5 for thousands of Waikiki hotel workers. According to Local 5, the current management of the Imperial has not agreed to settle a contract along the same standard as other major employers and cancelled the existing union contract in March. "Imperial workers refuse to settle for second class treatment and with the support of other Local 5 members will continue to hold frequent and lively picket lines on Lewers Street in the heart of Waikiki," said Eric Gill, Financial Secretary-Treasurer of Local 5.

"It's unfortunate that the management, acting on behalf of the 13,000 timeshare owners, has not heard the message of their dedicated and hard working employees," Gill continued. "The website will let the timeshare owners and other guests know about the situation before they get here."

The website also raises questions about whose interests are being served by the Imperial Hawaii Vacation Club's board of directors. The website points out that the president of the Club's board also controls the company which sold and financed many Imperial timeshare units, the Club's 'exclusive resale agent' and a ticket and tour company located in the Imperial's lobby.

"The website will also provide us with an opportunity to communicate directly with Imperial timeshare owners and find out if they are also being mistreated by management," Gill said.

Almost all of the 58 Local 5 members at the Imperial signed a letter urging the management to agree to meet the Local 5 standard, but no new negotiations have been scheduled.

Local 5 represents 11,000 workers in Hawaii and has recently settled contracts for more than 6,000 hospitality workers in Waikiki.