The Hotel Bosses Try to Play Rope-a-Dope : Indybay

Monday, September 28, 2009 : Fifty hotel workers occupied the front steps of the Westin St. Francis across from Union Square last Thursday afternoon. A similar number seized the main entrance to the Grand Hyatt two blocks away. Minutes before 1,700 hotel workers and friends had rallied in Union Square, chanting "We have the power!" and "No Justice, No Peace!" The crowd had then surged into the street, while two smaller contingents made their way to the St.

Francis and the Hyatt, all intent on demonstrating their resolve to beat back the ongoing attacks by the hotel bosses on our working conditions and livelihoods.

At virtually the same time, hundreds of hotel workers were also rallying in Chicago. Like their brothers and sisters in San Francisco, they were fighting back against a wave of speed-ups, layoffs, firings and benefit cuts by the hotel big-wigs. Before the day was over, 200 workers were arrested in Chicago, and nearly 100 in San Francisco, in well-planned acts of non-violent civil disobedience.

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