Chicago Ordinance Would Notify Guests of Work Stoppages

Jul 28

Ashley ChalmersNews, Places to Stay, Tips for Meeting Planners Chicago Hotels, economy, Hotel Unions, hotels, meeting experiences, meeting industry 1 Comment

Chicago’s City Council is hoping to pass an ordinance that would notify potential hotel guests of work stoppages.

Specifically, work stoppages of 20 or more hotel employees having gone on for more than 15 days would be reported to guests prior to booking.

The ordinance would protect guests from being surprised with unions picketing outside hotels or a lack of staffers during their stay.

Quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Roper said,

“With business as difficult as it is to attract, all the meeting planners need is one extra little thing to say, ‘We wanted to get out of Chicago anyway. This is our out.’… In these tough economic times, we don’t need any more negative impressions.”

What do you think?

As a meeting planner, do you have a right to know if the conditions at a hotel are abnormal? How would your decision to stay at a property be affected by a union strike, if at all?

From the hotelier side, do you agree with Mr. Roper? What are some alternative solutions?