�Because so few hotels near the convention center are union, San Diego has been cutoff from large national union conventions,� said Chiesa. �The San Diego Convention Center Corporation realizes that not only are neutrality/card check agreements needed to protect the rights of workers to unionize, but also that they are crucial in gaining access to the labor convention market.�

Labor organizations, constituency groups and allies chose to bring their meetings and conventions�including thousands of participants and millions of dollars in hotel and restaurant revenues�to cities with hotels whose workers are represented by a union. Cities are normally selected on several factors, including the existence of a large block of union hotel rooms and the absence of labor disputes.

Neutrality/card check agreements enable workers to choose a union free of management interference and allow hotels to open and become union without labor disputes. HERE recently signed neutrality/card check agreements with hotels on the West Coast that include the Hollywood Holiday Inn, Sacramento Sheraton Convention Hotel, W Hotels in San Diego and San Francisco, Omni Hotel in San Francisco, San Jose Marriott, Hilton Convention Hotel in Santa Clara, Bellagio Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Paris Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, and Westin Sea-Tac Airport Hotel in Seattle.

�By voting to support neutrality/card check agreements, the convention center sends the message that hotel workers deserve to be included in the city�s economic development,� said Chiesa.

Labor disputes sanctioned by HERE and its Local Unions are currently in progress at  the following properties. 

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Local 40, Vancouver
Italian Cultural Centre - Vancouver

CALIFORNIA

Local 2, San Francisco
Sir Francis Drake Hotel - San Francisco

Local 11, Los Angeles
New Otani Hotel and Garden - Los Angeles

Local 30, San Diego
Mission Valley Hilton - San Diego
San Diego Princess - San Diego
Sheraton Harbor Island West - San Diego
Westgate Hotel - San Diego

Local 49, Sacramento
Doubletree Hotel - Sacramento
Hyatt Regency Hotel - Sacramento
Red Lion's Sacramento Inn - Sacramento

Local 483, Monterey
Monterey Plaza Hotel - Monterey

Local 2850, Oakland
Berkeley Marina Radisson Hotel - Berkeley
Lafayette Park Hotel - Lafayette
Spenger's Fish Grotto - Berkeley

CONNECTICUT

Local 217, Hartford/New Haven
Four Points by Sheraton - Waterbury

FLORIDA

Local 55, Orlando
The Grosvenor Hotel - Lake Buena Vista

ILLINOIS

Local 1, Chicago
Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants - Chicago