Not in Our Town

Greetings,

100 former Hyatt housekeepers at the three Boston Hyatt hotels are making national news in their struggle for fairness. The “Hyatt 100” were left with no jobs when the Hyatt replaced them with low wage contractors. See the Hyatt workers in action here.

On Thursday Providence will be the first city to take action protecting hotel industry workers from Hyatt-style layoffs. Join us!

The Providence City Council will vote on an ordinance to protect against Hyatt-style subcontracting in the Providence Convention Center District, this Thursday: 10/1.  The Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance will require that hospitality businesses in the district retain employees in the event of a sale or subcontract of the business and maintain the prevailing wage and health insurance standards.

What you can do:

1. Join us on Thursday, October 1 at 6:30 pm at Providence City Hall 25 Dorrance Street, for a press conference on the third floor prior to the Council Vote!

2. Call Your City Councilor Today:

The Ordinance was introduced by Councilman Solomon with 12 of the 15 City Council members signing on as cosponsors. 

Call your City Councilor today at 521-7477.

Urge them to vote YES on The Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance

Find out who your Councilperson is here.

3. Follow the links to send a message to Mayor Cicilline sharing your support for the Ordinance.  

Thank you!

In Solidarity,
RI Jobs with Justice

Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):
Mayor David Cicilline (if you live in Rhode Island)

Below is the sample letter:

Subject: Please Work to Protect Providence From Hyatt-Style Lay-offs

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

In Boston over the last month, 100 housekeepers were left with no jobs when three Boston Hyatt Hotels replaced them in with low-wage subcontractors.

I understand that Providence City Council is taking action on Thursday to protect Providence workers and our local economy from just these kinds of corporate greed tactics.

The Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance will require that hospitality businesses in the district retain employees in the event of a sale or subcontract of the business and maintain the prevailing wage and health insurance standards. Measures like this will provide Providence with powerful protections against further harm to our local economy and protect family wage jobs.

I am writing to urge you to sign the Hospitality Business Protection and Worker Retention Ordinance when it arrives on your desk and work together with City Council to ensure speedy and smooth implementation.

Thank you in advance for protecting good jobs here in our Capitol City and taking measures to prevent further economic hardship for workers and small businesses.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
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What's At Stake:

Housekeeper Carmen Castillo has been a Westin Room Attendant for 15 years.  “I am worried that if the Westin Hotel follows Hyatt’s example, then 100 families could be out on the street here, just like in Boston.”  With her job at the Westin, she has been able to buy her own home on the South Side of Providence and put her 3 daughters through school.  She could not have done this with the $4.00/hour factory job she worked before starting at the Westin. She has chronic medical conditions, but she has gotten health care coverage from the hotel.  “I don’t want to lose everything we have worked to build here.”

Stand up with Carmen and her Coworkers!


Campaign Expiration Date:
October 30, 2009