Public Employees Support Hotel Workers' Union Efforts ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - Employees of the Public Employee Federation (PEF) gathered outside the Rochester Plaza hotel at the lunch hour Tuesday to show solidarity for employees at the hotel who are seeking unionization.

Prior to its conference in Rochester this week, PEF pulled out of its reservation at the Plaza, when it found out about the union dispute.

Ken Brynien is president of PEF. He says pulling out of a hotel where there's a labor dispute is not an uncommon tactic.

"We fight for justice for ourselves [as] state employees. We negotiate with the governor and we're dealing with tax payer money and they're a whole lot of issues and what we want is fair treatment. But it's hypocritical to say 'well, we want it for us but we don't really care about anybody else'. So anywhere where we can help anybody obtain justice for themselves, we'll fight there."

Rochester Clergy and Laity for Economic Justice and the union UNITE HERE are calling on Rochester Plaza to allow workers to unionize through a "card check" process. That would allow a vote on unionizing. If a majority of workers voted in favor, the group would be allowed to unionize.

In the past, Rochester Plaza management has objected to the card check process because it is not the official process approved by the National Labor Relations Board. The Rochester Plaza Hotel has not returned WXXI's request for comment.


Click the "Listen" link above to hear PEF member Paul Stein performing an organizing song at the rally. © Copyright 2009, WXXI