[News] NLGLA Supports UNITE HERE

From the NLGLA.

As many of you know, NLGLA leadership has been negotiating with the leadership of UNITE HERE, the union spearheading a recent secondary boycott of the Westin Horton Plaza Hotel in San Diego, where Lavender Law 2005 is being held. I am pleased to report that we have reached a final and successful resolution with UNITE HERE.

As one part of that resolution, NLGLA has issued a statement (below) in support UNITE HERE's goals. UNITE HERE understands that a confluence of factors (outlined in the statement) prohibit NLGLA from moving the conference without jeopardizing the future of both the conference and the association. However, NLGLA has worked with UNITE HERE to ensure that the Westin Horton Plaza and its parent company, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, are

aware that NLGLA is deeply dissatisfied that the union dispute has not been resolved in a timely manner. UNITE HERE's leadership has guaranteed us that our conference will proceed without incident.

We appreciate having had the benefit of input from UNITE HERE's leadership as to how NLGLA could be supportive of its efforts short of cancellation of Lavender Law 2005. We look forward to working together in the future to achieve our common goals, beginning with empowering our movement's legal professionals with a fantastic conference next week.

See you in San Diego.

- NLGLA

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL LESBIAN AND GAY LAW ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF UNITE HERE BOYCOTT OF WESTIN HORTON PLAZA


The National Lesbian and Gay Law Association (NLGLA) wants attendees, speakers, and special guests at Lavender Law 2005 to be aware of NLGLA's actions in support of the goals of UNITE HERE's boycott of the Westin Horton Plaza hotel in San Diego.

UNITE HERE has called for a boycott of numerous non-union hotels across the country to aid the struggle for fair contracts for hotel workers in San Francisco. NLGLA learned of this boycott close to two years after contracting with the Westin Horton Plaza to host the Lavender LawT 2005 Conference and only a few short months prior to the conference.

The late notice of the boycott, size of NLGLA's budget, and penalties built into NLGLA's contract with the Westin Horton Plaza, created circumstances under which NLGLA was unable to move Lavender Law to an alternative location without jeopardizing the future of both the conference and the organization.

While the Westin Horton Plaza is not directly involved in a labor dispute and only subject to the boycott by virtue of its association with its parent company, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, NLGLA profoundly regrets being unable to move its conference in support of UNITE HERE's efforts to assist their union brothers and sisters in San Francisco. NLGLA appreciates having had the benefit of input from UNITE HERE's leadership as to how NLGLA could be supportive of their efforts short of cancellation of Lavender Law 2005.

NLGLA supports the goals of UNITE HERE's boycott and labor unions in general, especially where the labor movement values diversity and opposes discrimination based upon sexual orientation and gender identity.

Out of a desire not to undermine the union's efforts, NLGLA leadership has worked with UNITE HERE representatives to ensure that both Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Westin Hotels are aware of NLGLA's deep dissatisfaction with the way they have chosen to conduct themselves in the labor dispute. NLGLA has strongly urged the Westin Horton Plaza Hotel management to insist that Starwood Hotels and Resorts speedily and fairly resolves the dispute with its unionized employees. A copy of the letter NLGLA sent to the hotel management can be found on NLGLA's website at: http//www.NLGLA.org/FAQ.html.

NLGLA does not, and has not ever, knowingly entered into an agreement with a hotel involved in an existing labor dispute. As long as the present dispute with Starwood Hotels and Resorts continues, NLGLA will not contract for services with boycotted properties.

Looking to the future, NLGLA has already contracted with a union hotel in Washington, DC to host Lavender Law 2006, and is glad to have the commitment of UNITE HERE to assist in making every effort to work together with friends in the labor movement toward common goals of fairness and equality.