HEI Fires Union Leader Ferdi Lazo

On Wednesday May 27, union leader Ferdi Lazo was fired from the HEI Sheraton Crystal City Hotel. Ferdi is an outspoken leader of the campaign for workplace justice who has led delegations to management, marched on picket lines, traveled to speak with students at universities invested in HEI and tirelessly stood up for his coworkers rights and dignity. HEI workers across the country are campaigning for a fair card check neutrality process to decide whether or not to form a union. At each hotel where workers have demanded justice, HEI has laidoff or disciplined union activists. On the first day of the campaign in Northern Virginia, Ferdi was suspended without pay. After an outpouring of student and community solidarity, Ferdi was called back to work. Now he needs our support again! Call Sheraton Crystal City General Manager, Pradeep Bobba: 703.486.1111 Hi, my name is ________ and I am a student calling from ________. I urge you to immediately respect the rights of your hotel workers by signing a Card Check Neutrality Agreement and reinstating Ferdi Lazo! Thank you.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: I Stand With Ferdi!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am deeply concerned about the recent firing of union leader Ferdi Lazo. Since 1990, Ferdi has been a hardworking, responsible employee at the Sheraton Crystal City.

Union leaders at HEI hotels across the country have been disciplined and laidoff in what appears to be a pattern. I stand with the workers who are standing up for their rights and dignity!

I demand that you sign a fair card check neutrality agreement and reinstate Ferdi now!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 04, 2009

Background Information

In February 2009, workers at the Sheraton Crystal City in Northern Virginia joined HEI workers at the Le Meridien in San Francisco and Hilton Long Beach in a national campaign for fairness. Supported by student activists from Brown, Yale, Harvard, Princeton, and U Penn, along with local community leaders, workers presented the general manager, Pradeep Bobba, with a demand for a fair and democratic process for deciding whether to form a union, without management interference. On the first day of the campaign in Northern Virginia, Ferdi was suspended without pay. One day after the outpouring of support from students, community and other local union members, HEI managers called Ferdi and told him to report back to work.

As workers continue their campaign, HEI has required workers to attend anti-union meetings on work time, circulated leaflets accusing the union making "worthless promises", interrogated workers about their involvement in the union, and laid off union supporters, including union leader, Hermen Romero. On Friday, May 22, Ferdi and his coworkers led a delegation to their manager to raise concerns about the lack of work supplies and recent lay offs. After the delegation, Ferdi was interrogated by a manager about his involvement in the union. Just five days later, Ferdi was fired, allegedly for being late to work on one occasion.

At each hotel where workers have demanded justice, HEI has laidoff or disciplined union activists. These actions on the Company's part show the need for a card check neutrality process that guarantees that no worker will be intimidated from supporting a union.. Last fall, USAS officially endorsed the HEI campaign. As students, we can play a unique role in supporting HEI workers in their fight for justice because a significant portion of HEI's investment money comes from the endowments of major US universities.