Emergency Action: Thurs. Oct. 5th, 7–9 a.m. at Woodfin Suites Hotel, 5800 Shellmound, Emeryville.

EMERYVILLE, CA-
On Friday morning, September 29, community members including faith-based leaders, local union members and residents demonstrated their support for immigrant workers at the Woodfin Suites in Emeryville. Carrying mops, brooms, drums, and noise makers demonstrators demanded "Woodfin Clean-Up your Act" and "Worker Rights Now!"

In November 2005, EBASE ( East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy) passed Measure C -- a living wage and workload protection ordinance for hotel housekeepers.
Although measure C has been in effect since December, the hotels have still refused to comply and workers have faced retaliation for organizing themselves to stand up for their rights. In an attempt to silence and intimidate immigrant workers, which is most of the hotel workers, Woodfin Suites gave the workers 24 hours on Wednesday, September 27, to re-submit their work authorization papers. Employers are only required to check these documents at the time of hire and it is not standard practice to ask for a re-submission of these documents.EBASE has stated "This is an obvious and illegal attempt to use immigration status to punish workers for speaking out. Woodfin workers need your support to defend their jobs and resist this attack on their rights."

After a delegation of over 50 workers, residents, clergy, lawyers, labor leaders, and immigrant rights advocates attempted to deliver a petition to the manager requesting more information in writing on Thursday, the delegation was met with silence and a call to the police.

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