Media Contact:
Paola Rodelas
Office Phone: (808) 941-2141 ext. 270
Cell Phone: (808) 333-4782
prodelas@5.unitehere.org

Hawaii Hotel Workers Vote 95% to Authorize Strike on Marriott

3,500 Marriott hotel workers in Hawaii could call a strike at any moment

(Honolulu, HI) – UNITE HERE Local 5 hotel workers from six Marriott-operated hotels in Honolulu and Maui have voted to authorize a strike with a 95% yes vote.

The strike authorization comes after months of negotiations with Marriott for contracts covering over 3,500 hotel workers. Workers from six Marriott-operated hotels voted yes to authorize a strike: Waikiki Beach Marriott, Sheraton Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian, Westin Moana Surfrider, Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, and Sheraton Maui.

“We want to come to an agreement with Marriott, but our members are preparing for a strike if contracts are not settled soon,” said Eric Gill, Secretary-Treasurer of UNITE HERE Local 5, “Our proposal is to make one job enough to live in Hawaii. Marriott’s proposal is to get another job.”

“I voted yes to strike because our hotels keep squeezing us to work harder, while we get less. We need to fight for proper staffing and reasonable workloads so we can be healthy when we retire and not broken down,” says Julie Gabot, a 60-year-old housekeeper at the Sheraton Waikiki who has worked there for 30 years.

Laurie DeCoite, a PBX operator who has worked at the Sheraton Maui for 30 years, also voted yes to strike: “Generations of my family have worked at the Sheraton Maui. Those who worked before went on strike so that we could enjoy the benefits we do today. Now, it’s our turn to make sure we protect what they won for future generations.”

Workers are demanding Marriott, the world’s largest and richest hotel company, to make one job enough to live in Hawaii. Additionally, workers are fighting for job security by addressing issues like automation and technology, workplace safety, immigration, and more.

Marriott hotel workers will also be taking strike votes on September 12 in Boston, September 13 in San Francisco and San Jose, and September 14 in Seattle. In total, the nationwide strike votes will cover over 8,000 union UNITE HERE workers in more than 20 hotels in six major hotel markets for Marriott: Honolulu, Maui, Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle.

UNITE HERE Local 5 is encouraging Hawaii residents, elected officials, political candidates, and tourists to support workers by not patronizing hotels in case there is a labor dispute. In an event of a strike, please do not cross picket lines. UNITE HERE maintains MarriottTravelAlert.org, a service for customers of Marriott hotels who need to know whether labor disputes could affect their travel or event plans.

Local 5 represents approximately 11,000 workers throughout Hawaii who work in the hospitality, health care and food service industries and is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, an international union that represents over 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.unitehere5.org.

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This message is for Moanalua Medical Center (MOA) managers and supervisors. Your staff will be notified of these directions in a separate email arriving shortly.

Dependent Care

The Dependent Care Center will open at 5 p.m. Thursday, August 23 for physicians, providers, and hospital staff working during the storm. The Dependent Care Center may be found in the Malama wing of Moanalua Medical Center (MOA).

The Dependent Care Center is for all ages but is NOT recommended for family members and children who are sick or are too frightened to be with unfamiliar people or in unfamiliar surroundings. Please remember childcare is provided by volunteers and not professional caregivers.

Parents bringing children to the Dependent Care Center during the storm are asked to:

• Bring identification to provide when you sign-in and sign-out your child.
• Allow time to complete an information form before your shift when you arrive.
• Bring any required medication with written instructions.
• If possible, bring pillows and bedding as there is limited supply.
• Bring preferred snacks and drink container.
• Bring sufficient personal care supplies (diapers, wipes, etc.)
• Bring appropriate comfort items (blankets, teddy, books, tablet).
• Include clothing with layering options for varied climate (warm or cool).
• Label all personal items.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided but options will be limited. Anyone on a restricted or special diet should bring appropriate items with written instructions.

Reporting to Work Friday, August 24

Employees reporting to work for Friday day shifts are encouraged to arrive at MOA no later than 6:00 a.m. to assure no one is traveling while the storm may be the most dangerous. Once employees arrive on site, they are to check-in with the staffing office on the first floor (Hospital Operations Center). For employees who are bringing children, please check-in your children FIRST, then report to staffing.

Employees who arrive on site prior to their scheduled shift will be paid their straight time regular rate of pay (not to count towards calculation of overtime). Check-in will be documented on a manual time record for pay purposes. The employee will clock-in as usual once the scheduled shift begins. For employees who arrive on-site early, there will be space to rest/shelter before their scheduled shift begins.

PDF version of this memo can be viewed here.

Kaiser Permanente Hawaii – Hurricane Lane Clinic Closures

The following closures and schedule changes will be made in preparation for the approach of Category 4 Hurricane Lane. A matrix version of this information is also provided below.

Interisland Travel

• All interisland travel for physicians, providers, staff, and members will be CANCELED for Thursday (8/23) and Friday (8/24).

Hawaii Island

• All Hawaii Island clinics will be CLOSED on Thursday (8/23).
• A decision about whether to close Hawaii Island clinics on Friday (8/24) will be made Thursday.

Maui

• Kihei and Lahaina Clinics will be CLOSED on Thursday (8/23) and Friday (8/24).
• Maui Lani Medical Office, Maui Lani Elua Clinic, and Wailuku Medical Office will CLOSE AT NOON on Thursday (8/23).
• All Maui clinics will be CLOSED on Friday (8/24).
• A decision about whether to open Maui Lani Medical Office on Saturday will be made on Friday.

Oahu

• All Oahu clinics (primary care and specialty) will be OPEN on Thursday (8/23).
• All clinics (primary care and specialty) will be CLOSED on Friday (8/24).
• A decision about After-Hours Care at Moanalua Medical Center on Thursday (8/23) and Friday (8/24) will be made Thursday morning.

Kauai

• Lihue Clinic will be OPEN on Thursday (8/23).
• Lihue Clinic will be CLOSED on Friday (8/24).

Please contact your supervisor if you have questions about how these closures and changes impact your work/practice.

Hurricane Lane updates are also being posted on insideKP Hawaii.

PDF version of the above announcement can be found here.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I pay my employee for the full shift if we decide to close the department during the workday shift?

Yes. Employees are paid for the hours they were scheduled to work on the workday that such closure takes place (i.e., paid as if they had worked the entire day).

The pay code to make up the hours would be ADN.

2. How will employees be paid if the department is closed before the beginning of the work shift?

Employees will be notified of closing by visiting the EOC website at www.kpstafinfo.org, or by calling the emergency phone line at 808-432-7441. Employees should also tune into local radio and television stations for announcements concerning weather.

Employees scheduled to work on the day of the closing receive pay for half of their regular shift. To make up for the reduction in pay for that workday, employees are offered:

• Vacation/PTO
• Make up work during the same week where feasible
• The employee can also elect not to be paid. Pay code is OPL.

3. If the department is closed for more than one day, how are they paid?

If an hourly employee reports to work as scheduled on subsequent days of closure and no work opportunity is available, the employee is paid in accordance with the reporting pay provisions in the applicable collective bargaining agreement. Non-union, non-exempt employees will be paid for four (4) hours at the regular rate.

If management makes a reasonable attempt to notify employees prior to their scheduled shift that the department is closed, employees receive no payment for reporting to work.

4. Can employees bring their children to work if they do not have child care?

Employees working at locations other than the hospital cannot bring their children to work. Essential employees who are needed to staff the hospital will have access to the Family Shelter provided as part of our disaster plan. Employees who wish to utilize the Family Shelter are required to notify their supervisor so that we can plan accordingly.

PDF version of the above FAQ can be found here.

Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Hospital Family Shelter

• Malama shelter will be open for shelter and child care at 1700 Thursday for the families of those who are working at the Hospital during the disaster period
• There will be 24-hour child care available for children whose parents are working at the Hospital during the disaster period
• Immediate family members can accompany employee (husband/wife and children)
• During the hurricane, all staff may park in the structure regardless of shift
• Food/water will be provided for those in the families in the shelter
• Compensation is being finalized
• Please bring: change of clothes, toiletries, medications, etc.
• No pets are allowed (except services animals)