WA Elected Officials Endorse Seattle Hyatt Boycott

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Public support of workers at Grand Hyatt and Hyatt at Olive 8 is gaining momentum in the Democratic Party.

Senators and Representatives in Washington State are beginning to publicly support the Seattle Hyatt boycott of the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Olive 8, where workers are fighting for dignity and respect on the job. Twelve officials, with many more considering, have pledged not to eat, sleep, meet, or speak at either hotel until the labor dispute is settled.

Seattle Hyatt workers and supporters denounce difficult working conditions and use of subcontracted workers. The hotel’s local owner, Richard Hedreen, chose not to agree to give workers access to a Fair Elections Process to decide whether or not they want a union as outlined in a recent National Agreement between the Hyatt Corporation and UNITE HERE.

The following officials have pledged their support:

State Representatives

  • Brian Blake
  • Cindy Ryu
  • Jim Moeller
  • Joe Fitzgibbon
  • Steve Bergquist
  • David Sawyer
  • Sharon Wylie
  • Ruth Kagi
  • Chris Reykdal
  • Mike Sells
  • Jessyn Farrell
  • Sam Hunt
  • Larry Seaquist
  • Patrick Sullivan

State Senators 

  • Bob Hasegawa
  • Adam Kline
  • Karen Keiser
  • Jeanne Kohl-Wells
  • Jeannie Darnielle
  • Sharon Nelson

Senator Bob Hasegawa recently turned down an event at a boycotted Hyatt. Representative Ryu stated, “We will do as asked: not to meet, eat, sleep, or speak at either property.”

More support is pouring in from the wider Seattle community. Recently, the Low Income Housing Institute, a non-profit dedicated to ending homelessness, moved an event out of the Hyatt Olive 8. In addition, the MLK County Labor Council has added both boycotted hotels to their “Do Not Patronize” list. The entire Seattle City Council wrote a letter to Richard Hedreen in support of workers rights, citing that “agreeing to a process that would bring an end to the disruptive boycotts seems like a step in the right direction for you, the workers in your hotels, and the City.”

The Grand Hyatt Seattle has 425 rooms and employs approximately 200 workers. The Hyatt at Olive 8 has 350 rooms and employs approximately 200 workers.

Space Needle workers turn up heat in their campaign for a fair contract

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#SNrespectWorkers throughout the Space Needle – in the restaurant, in the elevators, at the front desk, in the kitchen – are showing their strength today by wearing buttons on their uniforms calling for a fair contract and respect from management. The buttons feature the Twitter hash tag #SNrespect, where you can learn more about the campaign and take action to support these brave workers.

Fifty years ago, Howard S. Wright and his peers built the Space Needle to be a symbol of the future. While the Needle pointed to the skies and heralded Seattle’s destiny as a technology epicenter, it also contained living wage, union jobs for the service workers who welcomed guests and cooked the food. Generations of workers were able to support their families because of the good jobs at the Space Needle.

Unfortunately, the owners and CEO, Ron Sevart, are eroding this legacy, attacking their union workers who are asking for living wages, continued benefits, and job security. For the last two and a half years, the Space Needle has gone beyond trying to weaken their workers’ contract, and escalated to flat-out union-busting: firing and suspending union activists, encouraging workers to resign from the union and not pay their dues, interrogating workers about their union support, and failing to recall union supporters after seasonal layoffs.

The National Labor Relations Board recently took the Space Needle to trial for many of these actions, and the verdict is expected in the next few weeks. Despite these intimidation tactics, over 70% of the workers at the Space Needle have recently signed a petition declaring their support for their union and for a fair contract.

“I have worked at the Space Needle for over 23 years, and I have never seen management act this way in union negotiations,” says Lee Plaster, a banquet captain at the Space Needle. “They thought that this time they could bust the union and intimidate workers like me, but it has been almost three years and we are going to stay strong until we get justice, and a fair contract.”

The struggle of the Space Needle workers is bigger than one workplace; it is about taking a stand against a wealthy Seattle family that is undermining workers’ rights throughout the region. Time and again we have seen corporations try to squeeze all the profits they can on the backs of their workers. The Space Needle workers will continue their struggle for the symbol of Seattle to represent a better future.

Distinguished Expert on Diversity and Race Relations Dr. Caprice Hollins Honors Hyatt Boycott at USRowing Convention

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HollinsinPinkUSRowing held their annual convention last week at the Grand Hyatt Seattle and Hyatt at Olive 8. On August 27, 2013, workers called for a boycott of their hotels, citing poor working conditions and a lack of respect. They have asked that customers not eat, sleep or meet at the Grand Hyatt Seattle or the Hyatt at Olive 8 until the owner Richard Hedreen agrees to a fair process for them to decide for themselves whether to have a union.

Dr. Caprice Hollins, noted speaker and facilitator of discussions of race relations, was invited to the conference but decided to stand with workers. Dr. Hollins had been slated to lead a presentation and training on cultural competence.

“In support of the boycott I will not be presenting at the upcoming Annual US Rowing Convention as originally planned,” Dr. Hollins said.

Dr. Hollins is a co-founder of Cultures Connecting, a firm whose mission is to provide culturally relevant professional development, keynotes and consulting services to individuals and organizations committed to excellence through equity and social justice. She has over 14 years of experience, including opening and directing the Department of Equity and Race Relations for Seattle Public Schools. You can learn more about her work at www.culturesconnecting.com.

On behalf of the hotel workers at the Grand Hyatt Seattle and the Hyatt at Olive 8, we thank Dr. Caprice Hollins and are grateful for her support!

 

Below you can read the letter sent by Dr. Hollins to Grand Hyatt Seattle and Hyatt at Olive 8 owner Richard Hedreen:

Dr. Hollins Letter to Hyatt Owner

Low Income Housing Institute Honors Boycott

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lihigalaThe Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) develops affordable housing to reduce homelessness and help people overcome poverty. They hold an annual gala and auction to benefit their programs. LIHI recently moved their gala out of the Hyatt Olive 8 hotel, where it had taken place for the past few years. They moved in order to honor the Seattle Hyatt boycott.

Workers at the Grand Hyatt Seattle and Hyatt Olive 8 launched a boycott of their hotels on August 27, 2013. They are asking customers not to eat, sleep, or meet at these hotels until they have a fair process to organize.

LIHI is dedicated to ending homelessness, one person, one family, and one community at a time. They develop, own, and operate housing for the benefit of low-income, homeless and formerly homeless people in Washington State. They own and manage over 1,700 housing units at 50 sites in the Puget Sound Region, with 80% of housing reserved for households earning less than 30% of the area median household income. Additionally, they advocate for just housing policies at the local and national levels. LIHI also administers a range of supportive service programs to assist those they serve in maintaining stable housing and increasing their self-sufficiency. They own and operate Urban Rest Stop, a much-needed hygiene facility for homeless individuals and families.

In 2011, LIHI celebrated their 20th anniversary. Recently, part of the Nicklesville homeless encampment moved onto a LIHI property. Seattle Hyatt workers are grateful for the support of this community organization as they fight for dignity and respect on the job. More information can be found at www.lihi.org.

This article is authored by UNITE HERE and not by LIHI.

2013 Election Endorsements

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Listed below are the 2013 Election Endorsements, as approved by the UNITE HERE Local 8 Executive Board. Ballots should be arriving any day in your mailbox, please remember to vote by Tuesday, November 5th!

CITY OF SEATTLE

Mayor – Mike McGinn (Why we endorse Mayor McGinn? click here)

Seattle City Council, Position 2 – Richard Conlin

Seattle City Council, Position 4 – Sally Bagshaw

Seattle City Council, Position 6 – Nick Licata

Seattle City Council, Position 8 – Mike O’Brien

KING COUNTY

King County Executive – Dow Constantine

King County Council, District 5 – Dave Upthegrove

King County Council, District 9 – Shari Song

CITY OF SEATAC

YES! for SeaTac Proposition 1

SeaTac City Council, Position 2 Kathryn Campbell

PORT OF SEATTLE

Port Commissioner, Position 1 – John Creighton

Seattle Hyatt Workers Launch Boycott of Grand Hyatt Seattle and Hyatt at Olive 8

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SEATTLE, WA – Seattle Hyatt hotel workers and supporters are launching a boycott of the Hyatt at Olive 8 and the Grand Hyatt Seattle, denouncing difficult working conditions and the use of subcontracted workers. Seattle Hyatt workers also say the hotels’ local owner, Richard Hedreen, has refused to agree to a fair process for workers to form a union free from management intimidation—a process backed by Hyatt Hotels in a recent national agreement. In response, workers are calling on customers to not eat, meet or sleep at the two local hotels until the matter is resolved.

PLEASE pledge your support! CLICK HERE!

“The boycott may cost workers like me money, but the cost of doing nothing is much greater,” says Yuan Ping Tang, a houseman at the Hyatt at Olive 8. They say more work is being done by subcontracted workers, who are typically paid less with even fewer benefits. In addition, hotel housekeeping work is difficult work that can lead to debilitating pain and injuries from years lifting heavy mattresses and scrubbing floors.

In response, workers have called for a fair process to form a union. In July, UNITE HERE and Hyatt Hotels at the corporate level reached a national agreement on such a process, which has gone forward at other Hyatts in the U.S. To date, local owner Richard Hedreen has refused to implement the agreed elections process in Seattle. But workers are not discouraged, having experienced recent organizing victories; three months after workers began organizing last year, Hyatt agreed to give many workers raises of $1 to $3 per hour.

“Richard Hedreen has done the right thing for his workers in the past, and Hyatt has removed any roadblocks for him to do so in this instance,” says King County Council Chair Larry Gossett. “We are asking him to step up and give workers a truly sustainable and secure future in Seattle.” King County Councilmembers Larry Gossett, Joe McDermott, Julia Patterson, and Larry Phillips have endorsed the boycott.

The Grand Hyatt Seattle has 425 rooms and employs approximately 200 workers. The Hyatt at Olive 8 has 350 rooms and employs approximately 200 workers.