An ownership change at downtown St. Paul's two Radisson hotels has been "really seamless" for workers, said Nancy Goldman, president of UNITE HERE Local 17, which represents about 230 workers at the hotels.
The new owners, Trinity Hotel Investors of New York, re-signed the union contracts and kept all of Local 17's workers, she said. "It's been one of the best-done transitions I've seen."
Trinity, which paid the St. Paul Port Authority $43.4 million for the hotels, plans to invest several million more to refurbish them, Goldman said.
"The workers are really happy that the hotel has some money to spend. Things they've been doing without, they're now getting."
The former Radisson Riverfront on Kellogg Blvd. is now the Crowne Plaza Saint Paul Riverfront. The Radisson City Centre on Minnesota St. is operating independently as The City Center Hotel, Goldman said, but is expected to become a Hilton Garden Hotel once renovations are complete.
The experience of the St. Paul hotel workers is in sharp contrast with the ongoing dispute at the Ramada Inn Airport ? formerly the Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center in Bloomington. "They called it a seamless transition, too," Goldman said. "But seamless isn't letting 27 workers go."
Negotiations began this month for a first contract at the Twin Cities' newest union hotel: the Sheraton Midtown on Chicago Ave. in Minneapolis. Almost 60 workers joined Local 17 under a card-check agreement, Goldman said. The hotel is part of the massive redevelopment of the old Sears complex on Lake St.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@stpaulunions.org
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An ownership change at downtown St. Paul’s two Radisson hotels has been “really seamless” for workers, said Nancy Goldman, president of UNITE HERE Local 17, which represents about 230 workers at the hotels.
The new owners, Trinity Hotel Investors of New York, re-signed the union contracts and kept all of Local 17’s workers, she said. “It’s been one of the best-done transitions I’ve seen.”
Trinity, which paid the St. Paul Port Authority $43.4 million for the hotels, plans to invest several million more to refurbish them, Goldman said.
“The workers are really happy that the hotel has some money to spend. Things they’ve been doing without, they’re now getting.”
The former Radisson Riverfront on Kellogg Blvd. is now the Crowne Plaza Saint Paul Riverfront. The Radisson City Centre on Minnesota St. is operating independently as The City Center Hotel, Goldman said, but is expected to become a Hilton Garden Hotel once renovations are complete.
The experience of the St. Paul hotel workers is in sharp contrast with the ongoing dispute at the Ramada Inn Airport ? formerly the Thunderbird Hotel and Convention Center in Bloomington. “They called it a seamless transition, too,” Goldman said. “But seamless isn’t letting 27 workers go.”
Negotiations began this month for a first contract at the Twin Cities’ newest union hotel: the Sheraton Midtown on Chicago Ave. in Minneapolis. Almost 60 workers joined Local 17 under a card-check agreement, Goldman said. The hotel is part of the massive redevelopment of the old Sears complex on Lake St.
Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@stpaulunions.org