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In a decision that could have wide-ranging implications for minority participation in labor unions, a federal appeals court has ruled that Southern California's largest hotel workers' union must provide Spanish translations at its meetings.
Ruling that Latino workers' most fundamental representation rights are jeopardized when they cannot participate in union policy discussions, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court order requiring Spanish translations for even the most routine union business meetings.
"If union members cannot understand the discussion taking place at the membership meetings, they cannot be expected to make informed nomination and voting decisions. Thus, the practical effect of the union's non-translation rule is to restrict not only participation rights, but voting rights as well," Judge J. Blaine Anderson wrote for the court majority.
The decision was directed at the Hotel and Restaurant Employees Union, Local 11, nearly half of whose 16,000 members speak no English. But lawyers in the case said it is likely to have a broad effect on the ability of Latinos, Asians and other minority members throughout the Southwest who may have been barred from active union membership by language barriers.
Opportunity Has Arisen
"For Hispanics, the decision creates an opportunity for greater participation in organized labor," said Arturo...