CHICAGO
The Chicago area Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board has found merit in Hyatt’s unfair labor practice charges that Unite Here locals representing Hyatt associates in the Chicago area—Unite Here Local 1 and Local 450—have bargained in bad faith and made illegal demands during contract negotiations with Hyatt.
For nearly three years Hyatt has been negotiating with Unite Here to secure new contracts for its associates at Hyatt Regency Chicago, Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Park Hyatt Chicago, and Hyatt Regency O’Hare. In April, the company filed an unfair labor practices charge with the NLRB on behalf of the four Chicago area Hyatt hotels.
In response to Hyatt’s charge, the NLRB Regional Director found merit that local Unite Here leaders were bargaining in bad faith by refusing to schedule more frequent negotiating sessions, arriving late and leaving early during scheduled sessions and that the union has engaged in bargaining tactics to pressure Hyatt to obtain other provisions.
The Regional Director also found that a proposal by Unite Here concerning employee protests or boycotts was illegal, though it was not clear what verbiage was at issue.
