Law supports laid-off staff

Santa Monica in the USA has started 2002 with a new by-law which requires hotels to give employment preference to recently laid-off workers if business starts to improve.

The "recall of workers" law, believed to be unique in the USA, was passed by the local council at the urging of Local 814, the Santa Monica branch of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE).

Local 814 president Tom Walsh said that, when business dropped off after 11 September, some hotels used the situation to get rid of union supporters. Hotels were also accused of hiring new people on worse pay and conditions when trade picked up.

The law applies to all hotels turning over at least $5m in 2000 and to employees with at least six months' service who were laid off after 11 September. When rehiring, hotels must now give preference to these staff, and inform them of any positions for which they are qualified, or could be qualified with the same training given to a newcomer.

Nationally, HERE has lost about 87,000, or one-third, of its total membership through lay-offs following the terrorist attacks. In Los Angeles, 3,000 out of 12,000 members have been laid off or had their hours drastically reduced, and in Santa Monica, 300 workers have lost their jobs.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 10-16 January 2002