Saturday, September 26, 2009

Backlash: Mass Governor Threatens Hyatt Boycott, Cabbies to Boycott Hyatt Too

The Hyatt Hotel chain is suffering from a major backlash for abruptly firing 100 housekeepers, aka women (does anyone else do housework?), and replacing them with even lower wage workers from a Georgia-based staffing company.

Some of the minority women who were fired were with Hyatt for as long as 20 years. Trust me, the women's wages were not exactly busting Hyatt's budget. The women made $15 an hour. Their replacements make $8.

Governor Deval Patrick said that he will instruct Massachusetts employees "to boycott Hyatt hotels when conducting state business unless the chain rehires the nearly 100 housekeepers it fired last month." This was the Governor's "third attempt in a week" to reason with the soul-less hotel chain.

The Boston Globe reports:

Some of the housekeepers said they were asked to train their replacements and were assured that the crews were only vacation and holiday fill-ins. The cleaning company and Hyatt deny these claims, with Hyatt saying the changes were neither sudden nor secretive.

The firings prompted an outpouring of anger. Other politicians and business owners have also called for a boycott of the chain. The National Employment Lawyers Association canceled its contract with the Hyatt Regency Boston and is searching for another Boston hotel to host its October seminar.


Hyatt protests spread to Chicago; 200 arrested
Boston cabbies threaten Hyatt boycott over layoffs - A union representing about 1,700 Boston cab drivers says it will boycott Hyatt hotels in the city unless the company rehires nearly 100 fired housekeepers.
Backlash over Hyatt firings: Photo: Hundreds of hotel workers and their supporters rallied in front of the Hyatt Regency Boston Thursday, Sept. 16, in support of the 100 housekeepers . .