July 6, 2012
Of the 113 workers laid off after the sale and subsequent purchase of La Playa hotel in Carmel by Classic Hotels & Resorts, two have been rehired.
Former bartender and 33-year employee of La Playa Noe Hinojosa calls that “outrageous.” And many of his former colleagues agree—banding together late last year to form La Playa Hotel Workers for Justice.
Together with Unite Here Local 483 and close to 1,000 community supporters they demonstrated outside the hotel on October 28, 2011, leading to a civil disobedience action that resulted in 16 arrests.
Unite Here Local 483 lost a battle with the previous owners of La Playa last year that would have attached workers to the property in the event of a sale.
Hinojosa says the thing that outrages him and other former La Playa employees most is the lack of opportunities for re-employment.
Hinojosa has called out Grossman Company Properties'—the owner of subsidiary Classic Hotels & Resorts—Chair and founding principal, Sam Grossman, questioning why he wasn’t given a chance at an interview for his old position.
“Grossman hasn’t even had the decency to give us a chance,” Hinojosa says. “Please do not patronize La Playa Carmel, and if you’ve already made reservations, please cancel them and visit another Monterey Bay hotel.”
The June 27 call for a boycott was backed by Unite Here Local 483 and the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council in advance of La Playa’s reopening this month.
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