Features

The Claremont Resort and Spa suspended three workers last week after they participated in a pro-union rally outside the resort on Tuesday.  

The workers, Andrew Petrazzouli and Julie Marie, both hair stylists, and Art Javier, the group reservations coordinator, were all suspended for leaving their shifts early, according to the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees union (HERE) local 2850. 

On Monday, a meeting between Claire Darby, an organizer with local 2850, Art Javier and a Human Resources representative from the Claremont resulted in a reduction of Javier’s suspension to a warning. He will receive back pay for the three days he was suspended last week. Darby said the union will pursue similar reductions for Petrazzouli and Marie. 

Both Petrazzouli and Javier are strong union supporters and union representatives think the Claremont used them to scare other employees.  

KSL, the Claremont’s parent company, recently signed a contract to sell the hotel along with their other properties to CNL, an Orlando-based real estate investment trust. They are trying to secure a management contract with CNL and union representatives speculate the move was also meant to show CNL they can handle the dispute.  

Local 2850 also filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge against the Claremont Friday claiming that all three employees were following standard procedure and that their suspensions were in retaliation for participating in the rally.  

Javier, who for 10 years has clocked out 30 minutes early when he works through his lunch break, did the same Tuesday when he clocked out and went to the rally. 

Both Petrazzouli and Marie also clocked out early when they learned they didn’t have any more customers for the day. This is also customary practice for stylists, according to the union. 

When contacted the Claremont did not comment directly about the suspensions but did release a statement saying that “It would be inappropriate and disrespectful of [the workers’] privacy for us to discuss the disposition of any disciplinary action we may have taken with our associates.” 

On Monday, a delegation of 12 workers and several union organizers tried to deliver a message to Sean Maddock, the resort’s general manager, demanding a reinstatement of all the workers with back pay. After an unsuccessful attempt with Maddock, the delegation delivered their message to David Nelson, the operations manager, who received them but did not comment. 

“They realized the decision [to suspend the workers] was very clearly retaliation and the [NLRB] should see the same,” said Darby.  

Darby said representatives from the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, a group of community religious leaders, plans to send a delegation to the hotel to demand all the workers be reinstated with back pay. The union also plans to contact local elected officials including the Berkeley City Council, Mayor Tom Bates, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock and Representative Barbara Lee about participating in another delegation. ›