By Adam Pagnucco.
Update: This post now includes a response from Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles.
Recently, I reported that UNITE HERE Local 25, which represents hotel, restaurant and casino employees, had launched a boycott of the Montgomery County Conference Center. The conference center is owned by county government and operated by Marriott, which has an adjacent hotel. The union would like to see collective bargaining at the conference center and has asked county elected officials for support. It has sent a similar request to the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC), which holds events at the conference center.
I asked the county executive, county council members and MCDCC for comment. These are the comments I have received so far.
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Council Member Natali Fani-Gonzalez: Hi Adam, I met with Marriott on this already and shared that I understand that we as a County unfortunately lost the opportunity of having an LPA (labor peace agreement) the moment County Executive Elrich signed a 10-year contract with Marriott. That was a big mistake and that’s clearly on him. I also already shared with Marriott that I personally will never cross a picket line as I believe in organizing workers. Having the County and Marriott acknowledge the LPA in their conference center management agreement is simply the right thing to do. All Marriott needs to do is say yes to the LPA and let the workers organize if they want to.
BTW, I’m introducing legislation on this in June. Stay tuned.
Council Member Evan Glass: I strongly support the fundamental right of workers to organize. I will also be supporting legislation to be introduced by Councilmember Fani Gonzalez that will allow the hotel workers to form a union.
Council Member Dawn Luedtke: I support the employees’ right to organize and seek a collective bargaining agreement. It’s important everyone is provided a decent, livable wage. I recognize the Conference Center’s value to the County as a place where local and community groups gather to advocate and celebrate. I’ll continue to monitor and I remain supportive of a resolution.
Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles: As the proud daughter of a union worker and a dedicated member of the Montgomery County Council, it is crucial to reinforce our commitment to workers’ rights and equitable labor conditions. The lack of collective bargaining rights at the Montgomery County Conference Center undermines our community’s core values, especially at a time when expressing gratitude and support for our local workforce is essential.
In response to significant federal workforce cuts, I organized the first “United in Service” virtual meeting to help displaced workers navigate available workforce resources and reassure them that they are not alone during these challenging times.
We find ourselves in a comparable situation today. As a county, we must uphold our core values and ensure that every worker, particularly those in county-owned facilities, is treated with the utmost dignity and respect. I support UNITE HERE Local 25 efforts that empower workers to present their concerns and engage in contract negotiations in a supportive and respectful environment.
MCDCC: Unions are the backbone of our workforce and have been on the front lines in the battle to preserve our democracy. Given the climate we are in, they play an even greater role in the fight against the reckless actions of Donald Trump and Elon Musk against workers in this country.
We appreciate UNITE HERE Local 25 reaching out to us. The planning for the annual MCDCC Gala begins several months in advance. A contract that carries a substantial cancellation penalty has already been signed with the Marriott Conference Center for the event. In light of this recent development, we are also going to look at other sites as we move forward with the planning for our most significant fundraiser of the year.
We hope that a suitable resolution can be reached between the Marriott and UNITE HERE Local 25. We will continue to monitor and keep abreast of the situation as it moves forward.
MCDCC Member Liza Smith: As a proud member of UNITE HERE Local 25, a delegate to the Metropolitan Washington AFL-CIO, and an elected member of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, I believe we must stand in solidarity with workers.
UNITE HERE Local 25 has called for a boycott of the Montgomery County Conference Center due to its refusal to provide workers a fair process to decide on unionization. As Democrats and labor allies, we cannot ignore this call.
The MCDCC should move our annual event to a venue that respects workers’ rights—and we must inform all invited guests that the current venue is under an active boycott. Solidarity means action. Let’s lead by example.
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At this writing, I have not received comment from County Executive Marc Elrich or the other members of the county council.