HADM 4481: Labor Relations in the Hospitality Industry
Elective - 4 credit hours - S/U or Letter grade
Offered Spring only
Prerequisite(s): HADM 3387(formerly HADM 387) or ILR 201.
Faculty teaching this course in Spring 10:
You can’t move all our hotels to Mexico. While numerous pundits predicted that America’s manufacturing decline would be the death knell of the United States’ labor movement, organized labor refuted this theory by changing its focus to the service industries – specifically the hotel industry. In the summer of 2006, UNITE-HERE, the hotel industries largest labor union, engaged in corporate campaign that covered at least seven major cities and resulted in contracts that will entrench organized labor in hotel industry for the foreseeable future. In addition, these negotiations resulted in agreements that could fundamentally change how unions organize and operate in the hotel industry.
This course will focus on the critical labor relations issues facing the hospitality industry. Specifically, we will examine: (1) the impact of the structure and performance of the industry on the collective bargaining environment; (2) the labor relations strategy of UNITE-HERE, (3) labor relations strategies of selected hospitality industry corporations; (4) labor-management partnerships; and (5) neutrality, union organizing and the expanding reach of hospitality industry labor relations. All students will participate in simulated organizing campaigns and contract negotiations. Representatives of management and unions will address the class on key contemporary developments.