TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Vericella’s visitor views
intrigue Local 5Hawaii Visitor and Convention Bureau CEO Tony Vericella's announcement that visitor arrivals have returned to within 10 percent of pre-Sept. 11 levels raised eyebrows and questions about hotel staffing levels.
Some hotel workers have been returning to jobs that were cut following the terrorist attacks, but not in droves.
Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union Local 5 Financial Secretary-Treasurer Eric Gill wasn't privy to the data Vericella used.
"I'm not quite sure if this is a feel-good, 'thumbs-up' kind of speech or if he's going from something more definitive," he said.
While there has been some staff recovery, Gill said, "We're not satisfied that the hotels have put everyone back the way we would have hoped."
Staffing decisions are not based solely on arrival figures, as not all visitors stay in hotels; occupancy rate data will be reported within days.
"The real problem for much of our membership is focused in Waikiki where the hotels have a heavy reliance on the Japanese market, where Maui and Kauai depend primarily on the mainland market," he said. "They've had less of an impact -- a shallower dip and quicker return."
Departments within hotels are also affected differently, Gill said. When occupancy goes up, the size of the housekeeping staff goes up.
However, occupancy is not necessarily a key factor for the food and beverage departments. Gill said there is no guarantee a guest booked into a room will eat at the hotel.
The good news is, "it looks like there will be some restoration of food and beverage over the next month or so, I just haven't resolved the figures," he said.
Gill told TheBuzz Friday that some afternoon discussions would cover the reopening of certain restaurants in Marriott, Sheraton and Hilton properties.
Contracts covering the big Waikiki properties including "the Sheraton, Hilton, Hyatt, Ilikai and Ala Moana are all up for negotiation," he said, as they expire at the end of February.
The hotel operators have opted to negotiate separately and while formal talks won't begin for a couple weeks, he said the union is discussing departmental impact issues with the hotels daily so a lingering issue doesn't end up on the negotiating table for the larger agreements.
There is very little contractual basis for these day-to-day matters, he said. "So we're going to be proposing some sort of contract language that will assist the parties in this question going forward."
"We're looking at it not just for our members' jobs but also for the good of the hotel. It doesn't do the hotel any good to provide marginal services or marginal amenities. We want to see the industry get back on its feet. It's of mutual interest."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com