Hyatt Place workers tell Airport Advisory Commission hotel has not recognized union

At the Airport Advisory Commission meeting on June 11, a worker at the Hyatt Place at Austin Airport said employees who voted to unionize have not received recognition from the hotel.

Myrna, who identified herself as a Hyatt Place employee, told commissioners that “several months ago, my coworkers and myself came together and vote to join our union, Unite Here.” She said the hotel “has continued to fight us, has still not recognized our union,” and that the regional National Labor Relations Board had recommended prosecuting the hotel for failing to recognize the union. She said action at the national NLRB was “on hold.”

The worker said the hotel sits on airport land and warned that “the anti union behavior is going on right here in our Austin Airport” and that hotel actions “could lead to a broader labor dispute that could affect the entire airport.” She said she and co-workers — including concession, retail and hotel workers — were prepared to organize and that she would provide the commission with updates.

Vice Chair Brock, who presided over the meeting, and a commissioner who identified themselves but whose full name was not stated in the record, thanked Myrna for speaking and asked whether the commission could help. Myrna replied the main immediate need was public support for the workers’ organizing efforts and said she was an organizer at the airport.

There was no staff report or formal action by the commission in response to the comment. Commissioners expressed verbal support and asked to be kept informed; no referral, motion, or directive to staff was recorded.

The comments occurred during the public-comment portion of the June 11 meeting.