UNITE HERE has reached a national agreement with Hyatt Hotels. This is a huge step forward.However, although UNITE HERE has reached a national agreement with Hyatt Hotels, there are still many issues to resolve, including attaining justice for the Hyatt workers in Boston. The boycott will continue for the three Hyatt Hotels in Boston: Hyatt Regency Boston, Hyatt Regency Cambridge, and Hyatt Harborside.The national agreement will go into effect upon the ratification of the Hyatt union contracts in San Francisco, Hawaii, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Pending worker approval, those contracts will be in line with the city standards and include substantial wage increases, quality health and pension benefits, and job security. The agreement establishes a process for Hyatt workers at a number of hotels to gain union representation through a fair process, and creates a framework for an ongoing relationship between UNITE HERE and Hyatt.Pending associate approval, the contracts will provide retroactive wage increases and maintain quality health care and pension benefits. The proposed new contracts would cover associates into 2018. - See HERE for more.The work of the New England Jewish Labor Committee has been an essential part of achieving this agreement. It has been almost four years that we have been supporting the workers at Hyatt Hotels and we are happy to have made a significant difference on this campaign.We need to remember that it has been the thousands of courageous acts of the workers and their allies that have pressured Hyatt to come to this initial agreement.We in the Jewish community in Boston have to continue our support until the Hyatt workers here in Boston secure decent wages, benefits, safe working conditions, and respect on the job.Sadly that is not yet the case. An agreement will also need to be worked out about the Hyatt 100 who lost their jobs almost four years ago.The national agreement with Hyatt makes achieving justice for the Boston Hyatt workers more possible than before. We will keep you posted as plans develop.WHAT YOU CAN DO1. Please observe the boycott of the three Boston Hyatts, (Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Regency Cambridge, and Hyatt Harborside).2. Please avoid boycotted hotels when you travel and preferably stay at union hotels. Click here to find out which hotels are boycotted hotels and which are union hotels.3. Please organize your synagogue, other Jewish institution or workplace to observe the boycott in Boston. If you want to a speaker on this topic or other assistance, please contact the New England Jewish Labor Committee: 617 227-0888 or NewEnglandJLC@jewishlabor.org4. PLEASE observe socially responsible event planning. Make sure you have protective language concerning labor disputes in your hotel contract. Such protective language allows you to nullify the contract in case of a labor dispute without a penalty. Inmex is a non-profit organization that will help you figure out the details of securing such language in a hotel contract. There is not a cost for this service.Even though we have not yet gained justice for the Hyatt workers in Boston, this agreement warrants celebration. We want to congratulate and thank all our supporters. We particularly want to thank Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Chair of the New England Jewish Labor Committee Rabbinic Advisory Council, for her continued leadership on this issue. Her commitment has been unwavering. We want to thank the thousands of rabbis and Jewish community members who signed petitions, participated in the boycott, wrote letters, and came to rallies and protests.
News and Updates from the New England Jewish Labor Committee