Bride-to-Be Faces Union Harassment Over Innocent Hotel Suggestion
A bride-to-be from Mishawaka, Indiana, is experiencing severe harassment from a labor union after making a simple hotel recommendation for her wedding guests. Lauren Johnson, who is set to marry her fiancé Tyler Bradley on July 17 in South Bend, created a wedding website with details for the big day, including a suggestion for guests to stay at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Bend due to its proximity to the venue.
Unexpected Backlash from UNITE HERE Local 1
Shortly after posting the recommendation, Johnson, aged 25, was inundated with bizarre abuse from members of UNITE HERE Local 1, a union representing hospitality workers in Northwest Indiana and Chicago. The harassment escalated quickly, with union members calling her personal phone, contacting her friends and their workplaces, and even protesting outside her job with a large sign reading, "TELL LAUREN JOHNSON TO BOYCOTT DOUBLETREE HOTEL SOUTH BEND."
"I was shaking, I was scared, I was confused; like, actually traumatized," Johnson told CBS News, describing the protest that forced her manager to send her home. She filed a police report over the incident, but the union's actions continued.
Fake Wedding Invitations and Ongoing Demands
In a shocking move, union members sent fake wedding invitations to Johnson's family and friends, mocking her wedding with messages like, "Love is a choice. So is standing with workers. Say 'I don't' to this union boycotted hotel." Johnson clarified that she never signed a contract or blocked rooms at the hotel, and it remains unclear how the union found her website or if they have targeted others similarly.
After the harassment, Johnson deleted the hotel mention from her website and made it private. She also sent a cease-and-desist request to UNITE HERE Local 1. However, Steven Wyatt, the boycott organizer, wrote to her on January 9, acknowledging the removal but demanding she make the website public again or provide a password for verification, stating it was not enough to simply delete the reference.
Emotional Toll and Calls for an End
Johnson shared a voicemail transcript from a union member named Sarah, who also pressured her to remove the hotel mention. "I just feel like this is over-harassment. I feel like it's stalking in some type of way. I just want them to stop," Johnson expressed, emphasizing her desire to focus on her wedding. She has no association with the union or the hotel, and The Daily Mail has reached out for comments from all parties involved.
