Rancho Palos Verdes Voters Defeat Measure B

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif., Nov. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Terranea Resort said today that it would continue to defend its associates against the predatory tactics of UniteHere Local 11 after Rancho Palos Verdes voters defeated a measure sponsored by the union that called for protections and provisions the Resort already provides and others that would have hurt the very employees it purports to want to help. Voters defeated Measure B by an overwhelming landslide of more than 78% in the Tuesday election.  

"We are grateful to our Rancho Palos Verdes residents, community leaders, and Terranea associates for their ongoing support and for voting 'No' on Measure B," said Terri A. Haack, President of Terranea. "The successful defeat of this measure is recognition that residents of Rancho Palos Verdes have seen through and repudiated UniteHere's misinformation campaign and understand the union's true agenda was to pressure Terranea to forfeit its employees' right to vote if they want to unionize."

The union sponsored Measure B after failing to organize Terranea employees despite a two-year smear campaign of bullying tactics and reputational slander. The smear campaign continues despite Terranea employees' rejection of the union. UniteHere has continued to harass employees, resort partners and customers in an effort to pressure Terranea to sacrifice its employees' democratic right to vote. Terranea invited the union to hold a secret ballot election in January 2018 after it was targeted by the union, but UniteHere said no.

Proposed by a UniteHere committee called the South Bay Women's Project, Measure B would have hurt hotel workers rather than protect them. Housekeepers would have lost overtime they voluntarily chose to earn. The measure also would have placed burdens on Rancho Palos Verdes hospitality businesses resulting in reduced city tax revenues that fund public safety and public works. Measure B also mandated panic buttons for hospitality staff, a $15.00 minimum wage and employer-paid transportation for employees commuting to and from work. Ironically, unionized employers could be exempt from these requirements.

But changing the city code was not necessary to achieve much of Measure B's goals: State-of-the-art panic buttons already exist at Terranea and an emergency notification system has been in place since the resort opened 10 years ago. Employees already earn far more than $15.00 an hour. Free employee transportation to and from work is unheard of in any industry and would result in an expense that would have unduly affected residents.

"Measure B would not have protected workers," Haack said. "The real purpose was to pressure Terranea to agree to give up our employees' freedom of choice so that UniteHere could collect $1 million a year in union dues from our associates. We will not be bullied into forfeiting our employees' right to vote on whether they want union representation."  

The City Council and all five candidates opposed Measure B, viewing it as unnecessary, bad for business, bad for the taxpayer and contrary to local control that has been a cornerstone of Rancho Palos Verdes life.

"We congratulate the newly elected City Council and thank the Palos Verdes Peninsula Chamber and Rancho Palos Verdes City Council for their support," Haack added. "Additionally, we thank the League of Women Voters for hosting the informational forum for the residents. We look forward to continuing to serve as your community partner and delivering extraordinary experiences for both our guests and Terranea associates as we move into the next decade."

SOURCE Terranea Resort