10 Arrested at Santa Clara Hyatt in Historic Union Action

The Pritzker family is one of the wealthiest and most politically influential families in America. They cashed out over $900 million in their sale of Hyatt shares in November 2009. Meanwhile workers at their hotels are fighting to make a living wage in a safe environment.

Last week actions at Hyatt hotels took place in Chicago, Honolulu, San Francisco, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Boston, Rosemont, Vancouver, Toronto, Miami, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, San Antonio, San Diego, and in Silicon Valley at the Hyatt in Santa Clara.

Just days before the planned action at Hyatt Santa Clara, where workers have been organizing for two years for a voice at work, employees learned that Hyatt is putting the hotel up for sale without any written guarantees that workers will keep their jobs.

Calvin Miaw is a 29-year-old organizer with Unite Here Local 19. In a recent interview on Silicon Valley deBug's radio program "Block to Block" Calvin stated that for his entire life working people have been under attack. "The hammer has fallen particularly hard on youth of color," he said. Calvin speaks for workers and concerned community members in Santa Clara County when he points out that corporate executives get millions of dollars in bonuses while others lose their houses.

"Hyatt is the leading example of all the injustices in our society. Hyatt laid off 100 housekeepers in Boston and replaced them with subcontracted workers", Calvin said, adding that Hyatt did this NOT because they needed to improve their bottom line but to show that they could. Housekeepers at the Hyatt in Santa Clara are forced to clean rooms where bedding has gotten increasingly heavier so that Hyatt can offer Silicon Valley visitors the most comfortable accommodations. While Hyatt has upgraded to plusher bedding, it has not made appropriate adjustments to workstaff loads, resulting in worker injuries. Hyatt has also discouraged staff from unionizing.

On July 22nd ten people were arrested at the demonstration at the Santa Clara Hyatt.

Community groups support the union's position after listening to both sides of the issue because they feel that Hyatt is using the recession is as an excuse to make more money on the backs of the workers. Some of the groups that have come out to support Unite Here 19 organized rallies at the Santa Clara Hyatt include San Jose Peace and Justice Center, SIREN, and the Raging Grannies.