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Labor, unions and business debate county proposal to require labor peace for publicly supported hotel projects
Summary
Bill 22‑25 would require employers receiving certain county economic participation for hotel development projects to enter labor peace agreements. Union supporters said the measure protects workers and public investments; business groups warn the draft is overly broad and could deter investment.
Ken Harman Espada, assistant chief administrative officer for the county executive, told the council the county executive supports workers’ rights and has directed staff to ensure employees’ NLRA rights are respected. He described recent negotiations around the management agreement for the Montgomery County Conference Center and said the management agreement could not include a labor peace agreement but that the county worked to safeguard employee rights.
Union supporters told the council that requiring labor peace agreements as a condition of county economic participation in hotel projects would protect workers and county investments. Lisa Smith, a Unite Here Local 25 member and county resident, said a unionized hotel job transformed her family’s economic security and urged passage. Metropolitan Washington Council representative Sam Epps and other labor leaders cited regional precedents and argued labor peace is common in large hospitality projects.
Business and hospitality representatives urged caution. Angela Franco of the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce and Amy Rohrer of the Maryland Hotel Lodging Association said the bill’s current language is overly broad — applying only to hotels and conference centers — and could alter agreements negotiated in good faith or make the county less competitive regionally. They asked for a narrower scope and more committee negotiations.
Several witnesses and counsel clarified legal mechanics. Adam Yalowitz and others said the draft contains a safe harbor for employers in cases of unreasonable bargaining demands and noted similar agreements exist in other jurisdictions, including D.C. and Maryland’s casino and airport concessions precedents. County staff noted that existing county law currently covers only residential waste collection and yard waste contracts; the new bill would extend a similar approach to hotel projects where the county has an economic stake.
Next steps: the council scheduled a joint Government Operations & Fiscal Policy and Economic Development committee work session on July 24, 2025. The public hearing record shows broad stakeholder engagement and competing priorities between labor protections and business competitiveness.
