11/2: Community Rally for Hotel Workers' Rights

COMMUNITY RALLY FOR HOTEL WORKERS' RIGHTS
NOVEMBER 2 at 4:30 P.M.
Sheraton Grand Hotel, J and 13th Streets, Sacramento

"It is a painful irony that those who provide hospitality to travelers and guests in the United States and Canada are so often denied living wages, fair working conditions and basic human dignity by the hotels that employ them." - From the letter "On Hospitality and Human Dignity" from Bishop Garcia and forty-six other Sacramento clergy.

"Es una ironía dolorosa que aquellos que proveen la hospitalidad a viajeros e invitados a los Estados Unidos y Canadá son negados sueldos mínimos, condiciones de trabajo justas y dignidad humana básica por los hoteles que los emplean." - De la Carta "En Hospitalidad y Dignidad Humana" de Obispo García y 46 otros clero de Sacramento

Housekeepers at the Sheraton Grand make $9.10 an hour, are expected to clean 16 rooms a day, and are forced to choose between paying $579 a month or forgoing family health coverage. Last week, 300 workers, clergy and community allies came together to send a message to the Sheraton and to the Sacramento hotel industry: Hotel workers deserve better, and we all expect better.

Christine Troughton has been a cook for fifteen years. She's been working at the Sheraton Grand since it opened six years ago. Overthat time, she's developed a serious shoulder injury that brings her stabbing pain and numbness when she uses her arm, even after physical therapy and painkillers. Christine has had to teach herself how to cook using one arm. Sometimes she needs to use both and work through the pain. And she's had to give up playing sports with her kids.

There's a surgery that could help Christine get back the full use of her arm. But under her current contract, she can't afford theinsurance plan that would cover it. Unfortunately, even in the most profitable year the American hotel industry has ever had, hotels in Sacramento are still asking employees making not much more than the minimum wage to bear most of the burden of paying for their healthcare. These companies, even those that depend on public support, have not yet met their full responsibility to serve the public good.

Christine is tired of choosing between feeding her children and insuring herself and her family. That's whys he's joined with other workers from the five Sacramento hotels with union contracts expiring this fall – at the same time as contracts around the country – to fight for better contracts and better futures. These workers are struggling to raise the standard of living in the service sector, where so many of this city's and this country's jobs are being created – especially for women and immigrants. They're working to make Sacramento a more livable city by winning livable wages, benefits, and working conditions for the people who live here. They're building a pathway to the middle class for the next generation of American workers.

They need our help. They deserve our support.

SI SE PUEDE!

UNITE HERE! Local 49
HOTEL WORKERS RISING!

For more information, or to RSVP:
Josh Eidelson, jeidelson [at] unitehere.org


http://www.hotelworkersrising.org