Hotel workers Negotiations between the union representing Waikiki hotel workers and Hilton continued late into last evening, after talks between the union and Sheraton broke down.
weigh strike
Negotiations between Local 5
and Sheraton broke down yesterdayBy Lyn Danninger and Tim Ruel
ldanninger@starbulletin.com
truel@starbulletin.comTalks began in the early afternoon between Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 5 and Sheraton, but broke off after about an hour, according to Jason Ward, a union researcher.
"There was a brief meeting today. They came over to the union office, but I didn't get the sense it was positive," he said.
No further talks are scheduled with Sheraton, and the union planned to make a decision last night on whether to call a strike, he said.
Ward said the likelihood of a strike seems to be increasing.
"I'm not very optimistic about the prospects," he said.
Union negotiators met with officials from Hilton Hotels beginning around 3 p.m. yesterday, Ward said.
Talks with Hilton, originally scheduled for Wednesday, were delayed when the union began making progress with Sheraton on Tuesday. Local 5's talks with Sheraton have lasted four consecutive days. The previous session broke off about 2:30 a.m. yesterday.
Gov. Ben Cayetano has been "monitoring the situation carefully," his spokesman said.
"I know, if needed, he has said in past that he will participate in the discussions," press secretary Cedric Yamanaka said.
Local 5 represents some 4,000 Hilton and Sheraton hotel workers who have been without a contract since February, and who have authorized a strike.
"Things are looking pretty bleak right now," Ward said yesterday afternoon. The hotels and Local 5 are at odds over wages, benefits and subcontracting, he said.
At strike headquarters last night, Local 5 staff was already preparing lists of union members who have signed up to picket the hotels. They also brought extra clothes for the night in the event a strike was called.