Freehand LA Issues Cease & Desist Demand to UNITE HERE! Local 11 Union Following a Campaign Based on Falsehoods, Intimidation and Misrepresentations

LOS ANGELES, May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Freehand Hotel issued a Cease & Desist demand to Kurt Petersen, the Co-President of UNITE HERE! Local 11 Union, following multiple defamatory allegations made through the Union against the hotel. The letter alleges that these allegations are part of an ongoing strategy by the Union to discredit the hotel, as they have far from sufficient employee support for their campaign. The letter details how, often through tactics of fear and intimidation, the Union has pressured employees of the hotel to unionize against their will - often appearing unannounced at their homes, their children's schools, and on their commute to work.  The letter also alleges that in the interest of bolstering revenue and Mr. Peterson's political standing, the Union has leveraged the hotel to garner short-term publicity through theatrical and defamatory disturbances at the expense of its workers' welfare.

Gabe Ratner, a representative for the hotel, issued the following statement in response to this series of defamatory claims: "We cannot tolerate these attacks on our team members, our reputation or our community. We pride ourselves on being a best in class employer and creating a supportive, safe, inclusive work environment. We will continue to defend ourselves and our team members to the fullest extent of the law."

Further, the hotel refutes the Union's claims of racial and gender biases. Freehand Hotels are deeply committed to inclusivity, equal rights, and personal freedoms for all, as evidenced by the diverse group of people it champions and employs – from the onsite management team, who are largely Latinx, to corporate level leadership, many of whom identify as part of the LGBTQ community and/or support it passionately. The hotel also alleges that the Union has been disseminating various false charges to reporters and the public, including false claims of unsanitary and unsafe work conditions. The hotel refutes these claims and as evidence cites repeated "A" ratings issued to the hotel by the health department (as recently as last week). The Freehand Hotel meets, or exceeds, industry standards for employee safety and cleanliness, and proactively responds to team member concerns whether required by law or best practice. The hotel believes that its record of mutual respect and fair dealing speaks for itself - and has since opening.  

"We will not stand for these outrageous and false accusations, motivated by the Union's predatory agenda. We have taken immediate action to defend our employees and their families and will continue to aggressively debunk these fabricated claims through all means necessary," said Mr. Ratner.

SOURCE Freehand Hotels

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