“We believe a fairly compensated and well-trained workforce is critical to producing high-quality infrastructure projects that help drive local economic growth,” Sean Klimczak, a Blackstone senior managing director, said in a statement at the time.
During a strike last winter against the chemical company Momentive Performance Materials, members of the Communications Workers of America rallied outside the offices of Apollo Global Management LLC, which owned much of the company, and put Apollo Chief Executive Officer Leon Black’s name and face on their picket signs.
Victory Declared
A report from a union-backed group highlighted the fees Apollo had taken out from Momentive and the pricey mansions owned by Black. Because Blackstone also owned part of Momentive, the report also noted CEO Stephen Schwarzman’s luxurious homes, and the alleged contradiction between Schwarzman chairing a White House panel designed to restore jobs and Momentive’s cost-cutting tactics. The New York state comptroller, who heads the state pension fund that invests in Apollo, rallied in the rain with the workers and wrote a letter to the company. The union secured a contract in February that it said beat back major concessions sought by the company.
In Los Angeles, Unite Here plans to mobilize at a hearing in the coming months to urge the county to reject a tax-assessment appeal by Terranea. Thursday night, workers from the hotel will join with teachers to march on Lowe’s offices with brooms to symbolize “cleaning up” private equity.
Before they do, they’ll file their lawsuit, which alleges that the resort violated state law by denying them rest breaks and overtime pay; making cooks cover the costs of their own cheese graters, potato peelers and knives; and, when the resort is busy, forcing employees to park in a distant lot and ride a company shuttle, without paying them for the added hour that adds to their day. The lawsuit will seek back pay, punitive damages, changes to employee parking and attorneys’ fees.
“Everything looks so beautiful in front of the house, but if you go in back of the house, where we are, it’s terrible,” said Terranea cook Freddy Lovato, who’s worked at the resort for nine years. With customers living it up while employees toil, he said, “I always picture the ‘Titanic’ movie.”
This article was provided by Bloomberg News.