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Four Claremont Resort & Spa workers, who are currently involved in union contract negotiations, were indefinitely suspended Monday for apparently handing out union leaflets at the entrance way of the exclusive hotel. 

The Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union Local 2850 has been negotiating a new union contract with the hotel, which is owned by the multi-billion dollar company KSL Recreation, since last September. The workers had been covered by an interim contract which was renewed on a daily basis. But according to union organizer Liz Oakley, the interim contract was canceled by the hotel on Jan. 18. 

In addition, 70 percent of the 140 spa workers who are not currently represented by the union, have said they want to join primarily to receive increased benefits, such as medical insurance. 

Last Saturday about 45 employees were handing out pro-union leaflets at the hotel. On Sunday, four of the employees who were handing out leaflets at the hotel’s main entrance, Yolanda Smith Leslie Fitzgerald, John Laane and Fidel Arroyo received telephone calls from the hotel’s management saying that they were on suspension pending further investigation. 

According to Arroyo, management did not give a specific reason for the suspension. 

Director of Marketing for the Claremont Denise Chapman hotel management does not comment on employee relations.  

“I can say that the hotel has been involved in good faith negotiations with Local 2850 since September,” she said. 

But Oakley said the suspensions are illegal.  

“There is no lawful reason for these suspensions,” she said. “Management has repeatedly threatened and intimidated the workers with suspensions. They’re running a really viscous anti-union campaign.”  

Arroyo, who became a father sixteen days ago, said his suspension has been particularly worrisome because his wife is on maternity leave. 

“I have been working there for eight years and my record is clear. I’ve never even come to work late,” he said. “They told me I was suspended and to wait for a call from human resources. I am waiting but the call has not come.” 

Mayor Shirley Dean and Councilmember Linda Maio are supporting the hotel workers. Dean and Councilmember Linda Maio are writing competing recommendations that will appear on next Tuesday’s council agenda.  

Dean spokesperson Tamlyn Bright said Dean is “appalled” that the hotel is resisting the spa workers attempts to unionize. “The mayor is planning to offer her services as a mediator between management and the workers,” she said.  

Councilmember Linda Maio said hotel management has become harsh to the workers since the contract expired. 

“They’re playing hardball,” she said. “The management shouldn’t be fighting this. The workers are only asking for very basic things like healthcare.” 

Chapman said the hotel supports the spa workers unionizing. “The union would first have to petition for a ballot election and that has not occurred,” she said. “We support our spa employees unionizing but we believe it would be in their best interest not to unionize.” 

But suspended worker Leslie Fitzgerald said that since KSL Recreation took over the hotel in 1998 they have not respected the workers.  

“It’s the most expensive spa in the area and they pay the spa workers the least,” she said. “The first thing KSL did when they took over was to fire everybody in the spa and they only hired half of us back. It was humiliating and degrading.” 

Fitzgerald said that the workers who were hired back lost medical benefits and were also subject to a $3-5 pay cut.