Castlewood Lockout Continues

The six-week long lockout of 61 workers from Castlewood Country Club continues, despite local politicians urging both parties to resume talks and let workers back in.

The lockout was a result of stalled labor negotiations  between the club and workers. Club management would not comment on a Pleasanton City Council resolution encouraging the end of the lockout. 

"We have consistently taken the position of not commenting in the press," said General Manager Jerry Olson stated in an e-mail to Patch. "We believe this is a private matter and these issues can only be resolved in the board room."

Olson added that Castlewood has asked the union bargaining team to meet again April 27 and hopes they "come willing to negotiate a contract that is fair for both sides."

A number of lawmakers including Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi (D-Hayward), Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty and Assemblyman Alberto Torrico have sent letters asking Castlewood management to end the lockout.

The City Council's resolution contained a similar message. The resolution also asks the club to let workers go back to work and to return to negotiations "in good faith."

Whether the support will result in successful talks is still up in the air. The April 27 meeting was set before the resolution passed.

Local 2850 representatives say they are hopeful that support from various Bay Area and Pleasanton leaders will pay off, though they're hoping for an earlier date for the meeting.

"We've had amazing show of support from our elected officials," said Nischit Hegde, spokesperson for Local 2850.  "If not for the community and elected officials' support, the workers would feel like they're alone, and they're not."

On Feb. 25, food, beverage and maintenance workers represented by Local 2850, were told by the club that they could not go to work after labor negotiations stalled. The two sides were unable to agree on health-care benefits. 

According to union representatives, management wanted employees to contribute $739 a month for health care. But the union's bargaining team declined the proposal, saying the amount was 40 percent of workers' paychecks. Union representatives said they offered a counterproposal of $225 a month for health care plus additional concessions such as a wage freeze. 

Since the lockout started, Castlewood has been a topic of interest within the Pleasanton community. Locked out workers spoke at a council meeting last month, asking the members to help them.

There was  speculation that workers disagreed with the union bargaining team's stance, according to union representatives. Workers eventually voted to retain union representation last week.

The Pleasanton City Council  resolution passed 3-1 Tuesday night with Councilwoman Cindy McGovern recusing herself. 

Vice-Mayor Jerry Thorne cast the one nay vote. Thorne said that in his time as a council member, the body has never voted for resolutions about labor disputes. 

"There are a couple of statements [in the resolution] that in my mind would indicate that the resolution is taking one side as opposed to another," Thorne said.  "I don't think that we as a public entity should do that."

Councilman Matt Sullivan, who has been open about his support of the workers and who spent some time at the picket line staged by the workers, said ending the lockout is important in having fair negotiations.

"I hope [management] will take this into consideration," he said of the resolution.

Members of the Castlewood Country Club also were at  Tuesday's meeting, urging council members to pass the resolution.

"I think this added piece of feedback from the [council] may help move [management]," said Larry Ferderber, a member of Castlewood .

After the resolution passed, one of the locked out workers, Marisol Gil said she hoped the two parties can resume talks.

"It's something that we really need to do,"said Gil.