S.F. Hotels Are Pressured by Mayor

SAN FRANCISCO — Facing a deadline and ultimatum from San Francisco’s mayor, operators of 14 hotels refused Tuesday to end their four-week lockout of unionized employees.

“We respectfully decline the mayor’s request for a 90-day cooling-off period,” said Cornell Fowler, a spokesman for the hotel operators.

Mayor Gavin Newsom threatened Monday to call for a boycott of the hotels if they failed to accede to his request for the cooling-off period that would have allowed locked-out workers to return to their jobs while contract talks continued.

Expressing frustration that the dispute was tarnishing the city’s image and hurting its workers, Newsom said he would join hotel employees on their noisy picket lines and encourage mayors in other cities to play hardball with the properties’ corporate owners.

The mayor made good on his vow by showing up Tuesday at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, where he was enthusiastically greeted by picketing workers.

“This is our No. 1 private industry in our city, and I have great respect for these hoteliers,” Newsom told Associated Press in a phone interview. “But I’m not going to allow other people to pull the strings and damage the city because they are putting their interest over the interest of the city.”

The hotel workers union, Local 2 of Unite Here, called a strike at four of the hotels Sept. 29, and the hotels responded by locking out workers at the 10 others two days later.

The workers ended the strike last Wednesday, but the 14 hotels declared the lockout would continue until agreement on a new contract was reached.

Fowler said the hotel operators were aware of Newsom’s warnings, but concluded that they did not want to run the risk of another strike. They have continued to operate with replacement workers, although at some places with reduced room service and restaurant hours.

The last contract expired in August. Sticking points are contract length, wages and healthcare costs. The hotels want a five-year contract, while the union insists on a two-year deal.