Council expresses concern after testimony from cruise-terminal hostesses alleging wrongful firings

Former employees of Cruise and Tour Services (CTS) told the Los Angeles City Council they were wrongfully terminated after attending informational union meetings and said the employer discouraged union buttons and imposed restrictive dress codes.

Pauline Becker, who identified herself as a former CTS employee, said three co-workers were terminated on June 15 after attending an informational meeting; Kathleen Calkins, Myrna Mendoza and Mary Ann Laurel described reduced hours, new dress restrictions (women told to wear skirts only) and other changes after contracting out work. Michael Diller, international organizer for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, said the union filed numerous complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, including allegations that CTS prevented employees from wearing union buttons; he said the union expects reinstatement of the fired workers following NLRB action.

Council members noted the NLRB had issued a complaint and that, according to remarks in the chamber, the three employees were expected to be reinstated by April 18 but that unresolved issues — notably dress-code restrictions — remained. The council approved a resolution expressing grave concern over alleged violations of the hostesses’ right to organize; the measure passed on an 11-aye roll call and was adopted forthwith.