U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has settled labor disputes with hotel workers in Las Vegas and Washington D.C., according to statements from the Trump organization and UNITE HERE unions on Wednesday. Collective bargaining agreements were reached with more than 500 workers, some of whom agreed to drop federal labor law violation claims.
Food, beverage, and housekeeping workers in three separate unions employed at Trump International hotels will receive health care benefits, pensions, and annual pay raises. The contracts will go into effect January 1 and expire on May 31, 2021. After a bitter fight, UNITE HERE Culinary Workers Union Local 226, Bartenders Union Local 165, have come to an agreement with the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, and UNITE HERE Local 25 and Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. have settled their differences in order to organize.
Unite Here Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has agreed to withdraw claims against the Las Vegas hotel previously filed with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board. In return, the Trump Organization will end its appeal of a NLRB decision that the company violated workers’ rights at the Las Vegas hotel. Still at issue is a NLRB case related to confidentiality agreements workers had to sign, which the government labor agency claims are too broad and not within the scope of regular labor relations.
Chief executive of Trump Hotels, Eric Danziger, signaled a positive tone in referring to Unite Here Local 25, the union that represents workers at Trump’s new Pennsylvania Avenue hotel in a historic post office near the White House. “We share mutual goals with the union, as we both desire to ensure outstanding jobs for the employees, while also enabling the hotel to operate successfully in a competitive environment,” he said.
John Boardman, President of UNITE HERE Local 25, said in a statement, “The agreement speaks volumes about the hotel’s commitment to its employees and the value they place on their relationship with our organization,” he said. “It satisfies the Union’s goal to represent and ensure strong working conditions for hospitality workers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. We look forward to pursuing a mutually productive partnership with Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C.”