Labor & Employment Law

Reform Rabbis Support Hyatt Workers

By admin

Ross Hyman, a research analyst for the AFL-CIO Center for Strategic Research, shares this info.

The world’s largest group of Jewish clergy, the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR), is calling on the owners and leadership of Hyatt Hotels to commit to the Jewish and universal obligations to treat workers fairly and to recognize the value of their labor. The clergy are asking “all Jewish institutions and individuals to support Hyatt workers in their disputes.” 

In August 2009, the Hyatt Corp. fired 98 housekeepers, members of UNITEHERE!, at three Boston Hotels and replaced them with subcontracted workers earning half the wages. The CCAR, which represents 2,000 Reform Rabbis, joined the fight at that time with a statement supporting the Boston Hyatts Boycott:

Following the Boston firings, Hyatt contracts have expired in union hotels in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago. While Hyatt reported that as of June 30 it had $1.6 billion in cash and short-term investments, it is demanding severe health care benefit cuts for new employees.  Hyatt has refused to hire the Boston workers back and has repeatedly stated to delegations of Rabbis and in the press that outsourcing is part of their business model. The Boston firings have become a threat to Hyatt workers everywhere to accept cuts in benefits or face the possibility of outsourcing.

The new CCAR statement opposes any threat to outsource as a way to extract concessions from workers.

We, the leadership of the CCAR, cannot stand idly by as the housekeepers and hotel workers of many Hyatt Hotels stand to lose their hard won and fair compensation as the choice is being given them either to lose their health benefits or lose their jobs. The call to pursue justice (Deut. 16:20) demands that we stand with these workers so that they don’t slip into poverty.

Last week, the AFL-CIO Executive Council asked all unions to continue their support of UNITEHERE! and hotel workers fighting to gain a solid contract with Hyatt hotels and a fair process to exercise their freedom to form a union.

Rabbis, Cantors and Jewish community leaders can show their individual support of Hyatt workers, regardless if they are in the CCAR or not, by signing the Justice at Hyatt statement.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on August 09, 2010 (boomark / email).