Hotel Workers Rising Pt. II: Supporters Raise Points

What do these South Bay (California) groups have in common?
Affordable Housing Coalition, Hip Hop Congress, Interfaith Council, Jewish Voice for Peace, Raging Grannies Action League, San Jose Peace and Justice Center, San Jose Raging Grannies, Silicon Valley DeBug, Student Advocates for Higher Education.

They all sent representatives to the rally for Santa Clara Hyatt Hotel workers and support their right to organize without fear of reprimand or intimidation. And they want you to know these facts:

--US Dept of Labor statistics show that hotel workers are 43% more likely to be injured on the job that the typical worker in the service sector

-- A study done at Ohio State University found that risk of injury from hotel housekeeping is greater than any of 20 manufacturing jobs, including auto and truck assembly

--Hotel records maintained to comply with OSHA regulations show that amongst hotel workers housekeepers suffer in disproportionate numbers. Housekeepers are also exposed to potent industrial cleaners on a regular basis; chemical-induced rashes and eye irritations are common.

--While the hotel industry across the board has upgraded rooms with heavier beds, linens, and bedding, hotels have not responded by increasing staff. In fact, many heavy lifting jobs formerly done by male employees are now routinely assigned to female housekeepers.

We urge you to support Santa Clara Hyatt hotel staff, a large number of whom are female housekeepers, in their struggle for safe, secure employment!

Source:
"Creating Luxury, Enduring Pain" http://www.hotelworkersrising.org/pdf/Injury_Paper.pdf

ALSO SUPPORTING WORKERS IN SOLIDARITY AT THE RALLY: CWA Local 9432, SEIU, unionized employees from other nearby hotels, children, friends, relatives.