Hyatt Place O'Hare LLC In Rosemont Shows Its Anti-Union Colors After Local 727 Files Election Petition

CHICAGO, April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 17, Teamsters Local 727 filed an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for the Hyatt Place O'Hare LLC, d/b/a Hyatt Place and affiliated with the Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE:H) shuttle bus drivers in Rosemont, who exercised their legal right to organize collectively and join a union. Unfortunately, before the newly-organized shuttle drivers were able to hold an election, management retaliated and discriminated against these drivers by unilaterally and illegally laying off all shuttle drivers in an attempt to circumvent the law and avoid a union election.

With Governor Pritzker's shelter in place, as well as many other local, state and federal orders and recommendations to limit travel, much of the hotel industry experienced a decline in the number of guests they serviced. On March 22, the company furloughed half of their shuttle drivers; the other half were furloughed on March 27. For all of the furloughs, the shuttle bus drivers were told the same thing: they would be called back to work as soon as business picked up again.

However, on April 6, the Region 13 of the NLRB informed the union that the Hyatt Place O'Hare LLC's representative alleged that the hotel had no intention of recalling the furloughed shuttle bus drivers to work once the shelter in place was lifted and that the members were effectively terminated. It is clear that his action was nothing more than an unlawful attempt to avoid frontline, essential workers organizing to collectively bargain their wages and working conditions. Furthermore, the outrageous actions taken by the multinational corporation are a contradiction to their original message that all of the shuttle bus drivers received and retaliation for the recently filed election petition.

Not only are all the laid-off Hyatt shuttle bus drivers able to testify that management reassured them it was a temporary furlough because of COVID-19, but the company has recently posted job ads for additional shuttle bus drivers. "The fact that this company is using an international health crisis in an attempt to union bust shows just how low they will go. The hotel told our newly organized brothers and sisters that the furlough was temporary; for management to claim any differently is not only a lie, but retaliation for organizing," said John Coli, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 727. "The union will hold this hotel giant accountable and will fight to make sure that every shuttle bus driver is reinstated. The coronavirus has killed hundreds of thousands and millions are without work because of it—for the Hyatt Corporation to allow an affiliate to wield it as an anti-worker weapon is disgusting."

Teamsters Local 727 represents nearly 10,000 hardworking men and women throughout the Chicago area. 

Nothing in this article should be read as the union's waiver of any legal argument, position or grievance(s), or as a waiver of any rights, arguments, or defenses under any contract, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law. The union does not forfeit its right to make any and all supplemental arguments.

Contact:
Caleen Carter-Patton, (847) 696-7500

SOURCE Teamsters Local Union 727, Park Ridge, Illinois