Los Angeles Dodgers break union strike lines in hotel choice

The city of Boston is in the midst of a hotel workers’ union strike. The Los Angeles Dodgers upset many when they chose to cross lines in their hotel choice for the World Series.

The Los Angeles Dodgers organization has come under fire from a Boston hotel workers’ union due to crossing picket lines in their hotel choice for the first two games of the World Series. The Boston Herald reported the story Monday, and by game time Tuesday, multiple non-affiliated union groups had set up to protest the Dodgers outside Fenway.

When the Los Angeles Dodgers arrived at their hotel, they reportedly entered through a back door, presumably to avoid publicity, but perhaps also due to pre-warning about the tone striking workers took with the New York Yankees when the Yankees were in town in the ALDS and chose to also cross picket lines for their hotel.

According to the Herald article, Unite Here Local 26 president Brian Lang attempted to contact MLB, as he had for both previous playoff series. The reasoning behind the Los Angeles Dodgers choice to stay with a hotel that was part of the strike is what has fueled the fire of other union workers:

“It was turned down because there were not enough suites,” Lang said. “For millionaires to hold their desire for luxury over people struggling paycheck to paycheck — I think it’s shameful.”

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As mentioned, the Yankees also chose to break lines during the ALDS, but the Houston Astros did choose a hotel where workers were not striking for the ALCS.

Much of the consternation online about this issue has to do with the Los Angeles Dodgers being part of one of the unions representing the most well-compensated members of all unions in the United States in the MLBPA. While Lang does mention reaching out to the league, he does not mention reaching out specifically to MLBPA, which may have had more of an effect.

On those lines, those wanting to blame players certainly know that the Los Angeles Dodgers players did not choose their hotel. This decision was made by others in the front office who handle such arrangements for the team.

That all said, this is a poor look for the Dodgers organization as multiple union organizations are now speaking out on this, and the team could now face protests when they return to their home park. Certainly, it would be a wise decision for whoever makes the decision in the Los Angeles Dodgers front office to choose a different hotel for games 6 and 7, should they occur.