Summary of NLRB decision on Pacific Beach Hotel

The 61-page decision dated September 30, 2009 from the Administrative Law Judge on Pacific Beach ruled in favor of workers and the union, including:

1. Hotel has to recognize the union and begin negotiations.
2. All fired negotiating committee members have to be rehired with backpay.
3. All negative unilateral changes — including closing of the Shogun restaurant and increase of housekeepers’ workload by 2 rooms per day — have to be reversed, with backpay for those affected.
4. Hotel has to reimburse the union for all its expenses involved in preparing for and conducting negotiations from January 5, 2005 through December 1, 2007 — potentially a huge sum — plus pay the wages of rank and file negotiators for the time they spent in negotiations during this period.
5. Hotel has to promise never to do any of this again.
6. Hotel manager has to convene all the workers, in shift meetings, on the clock, to read this decision aloud to the employees, with an NLRB agent present to answer questions.