The Oregon AFL-CIO has agreed to support a boycott of the downtown
Portland Hilton Hotel & Executive Tower, and at its Dec. 11
quarterly meeting, called on affiliated unions to support the boycott.
UNITE HERE Local 9, which represents workers at the hotel, is battling
management in contract negotiations, and is asking supporters not
to patronize the hotel until a new union contract is signed. UNITE
HERE, while a member of the Change to Win labor federation, is also
affiliated with Oregon AFL-CIO under a Solidarity Charter agreement.
As one of only three unionized hotels in Portland, the Hilton has
been a favored spot for unions to hold events.
The Oregon AFL-CIO resolution had immediate impact. Gary Gillespie,
delegate from Oregon AFSCME, said several dozen AFSCME officials
are visiting Portland in March; they would have stayed at the Hilton,
Gillespie said, but now will stay elsewhere.
Local 9 boycott coordinator Eryn Slack said the union would prefer
supporters patronize another unionized hotel if possible, but if
not, that even a nonunion hotel would be preferable to the downtown
Portland Hilton for the duration of the boycott.
