The National Labor Relations Board has filed four complaints against UNITE HERE Local 5 after two hotel workers accused the union of unfair labor practices and "coercing" the workers to pay dues for "nonrepresentational activities."

The initial complaints were filed by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation on behalf of Brenda Lee Orr and Grant Suzuki. Orr is an employee at the Turtle Bay Resort and Suzuki a worker at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Orr and Suzuki have refused to join the union, which represents hourly workers at the hotels, and accused union officials of forcing them to pay dues that the two said are being used for national organizing activities, as well as a strike fund. The two claim these activities are not supposed to be funded through local union dues.

Suzuki also alleged that his request for a breakdown of union expenditures to determine what fees he is required to pay was turned down by the union, which he said is a violation of federal labor laws.

The complaints will be heard by an administrative judge at 9 a.m. Jan. 6 in Room 7-241 of the federal building in Honolulu.

Cade Watanabe, Local 5 spokesman, said the union believes it will be cleared of the charges. He said union members authorized the contribution to the strike fund, which he said exists for the benefit of the membership.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides legal aid to workers who believe their rights have been violated by a union.

Watanabe said the foundation is an anti-union organization whose mission is to bust unions.