First strike ever at the Claremont Spa! QT movie. March 4, 2005

Claremont Kitchen's five strong union supporters and
leaders are on the verge of losing their jobs at the
Claremont Resort & Spa as a result of their union activity
with the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union
Local 2850.

Of the five cooks each has either been written up twice or
suspended, placing them one small slip up away from
termination. For instance, Claremont Cook, Benson Wong,
was written up for failure to wear an apron, even though
there were no aprons to be found. "They are writing us up
and threatening to terminate us for the smallest things,"
said Wong. Two of the cooks, Daniel Deng and Fidel Arroyo
were suspended.

As a result of the Claremont's disciplinary actions
against the cooks, HERE Local 2850 filed two unfair labor
practice charges against the hotel with the National Labor
Relations Board: one for retaliating against union
leaders, and another for bargaining in bad faith over work
rules and conditions.

Considering Claremont Resort & Spa management has a
history of harassing union activists in the Spa and Hotel,
HERE Local 2850 believes this is an attempt to intimidate
workers from organizing in the spa and publicizing the
labor dispute at the Claremont.

Such disciplinary actions are not new under KSL, The
Claremont management. In 2002 cook Fidel Arroyo was found
to be unlawfully suspended for union activity. "The
Kitchen has traditionally been one of our strongest
departments in terms of union support. They have really
been willing to take on issues they think are unfair and
we think that the disciplines are retaliation against the
cooks for standing up for their rights," said Claire Darby, HERE
Local 2850 Union Organizer.

"Claremont workers are not going to be silenced by company
attempts to suppress workers who stand up for their
rights. We have support from the community to win a fair
contract and the Claremont workers are strong. We will not
back down," said Sonia Bustamante, HERE Local 2850 Union
Organizer.