Re: 2011 Conference | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Craig Ragland (craigraglandgmail.com) | |
Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:40:26 -0700 (PDT) |
Oops... I got the dates for the 2012 Conference in the San Francisco Bay area wrong. The correct dates will be: Wed, June 13, 2012 through Sun, June 17, 2012. Katie McCamant, the conference chair, and I are currently considering possible venues. Craig On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 1:29 PM, Craig Ragland <craigragland [at] gmail.com> wrote: > Hi Bruce, > > Below... > > On Fri, Mar 25, 2011 at 10:38 AM, Bruce Koloseike > <koloseik [at] bellsouth.net> wrote: >> Craig. >> >> Thanks for your visit to Westwood this last winter/spring. It certainly >> prompted my wife and me to attend the Co-ho conference this June. > > Westwood (Asheville, NC) is a lovely community - interesting > architecture, beautiful land, and great people. Its great to hear that > we'll see you at the conference. > >> Concerning the boycott issue, would it be advisable to have a representative >> from the union host a session at the conference to give the opportunity for >> all of us to hear more about their stance and how we can best avoid the >> issue in the future? > > In the letter that Lisa and I wrote, we said, "We offered to create > opportunities to educate conference attendees about the labor dispute > – and raise awareness in general about labor issues linked to the > hotel and service industries." > > Your suggestion is a good one and I'll take it to the conference team. > Regardless of whether the union chooses to participate in a conference > session, the Coho/US volunteer/staff team has already learned a lot > more about labor issues. One of the cohousing residents who received > our letter has a history with labor organizing. She has offered to > help the 2012 Conference team better understand the issues as we book > the hotel for the San Francisco Bay area conference (June 14-18, > 2012). > > One challenge is that its so difficult to know what the labor > situation may be like over a year in advance of the actual event when > we have to enter into the contract with the hotel. > > Likely the hotel itself might not be willing to do a >> similar thing, but they might also be asked --- or even have some sort of >> joint session. >> >> Bruce K >> > > I'm still hoping for the hotel and the union to get this settled > before the conference. > > In community, Craig > >> >> On Mar 25, 2011, at 1:28 PM, Craig Ragland wrote: >> >>> >>> Lisa Poley, the 2011 Conference Chair, and I emailed a note on this >>> unfortunate situation to Coho-L on Wednesday. Here's a link to the >>> archival version of that note: >>> >>> http://lists.cohousing.org/archives/cohousing-l/msg32731.html >>> >>> We also posted a PDF about it on the Conference website: >>> >>> http://conference.cohousing.org/docs/2011/2011_hotel_labor_issue.pdf >>> >>> As some of you know, this year's conference is the first time that >>> we're using a hotel and we have a lot to learn about venue selection. >>> The 2012 Conference Chair (Katie McCamant) and I have made labor >>> issues a criteria in selecting the venue for that conference - and we >>> have already rejected one hotel because they are on the boycott list >>> published by this union. >>> >>> The association thanks you for your support. >>> >>> Craig Ragland >>> Coho/US Exec Dir >>> >>> Note: In July, 2011 my replacement will be taking over as the >>> association's next Exec. Dir. To learn more about this job >>> opportunity, click here: >>> >>> http://www.cohousing.org/node/3926 >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Mar 24, 2011 at 11:59 AM, Micah Ehler <mehler [at] unitehere.org> >>> wrote: >>>> >>>> Dear Cohousing Community Member, >>>> >>>> It has come to our attention that the Cohousing >>>> Association of the United States has scheduled its 2011 >>>> National Cohousing Conference (June 15-19) at the Sheraton >>>> Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, VA. You may be concerned >>>> to hear that workers at this hotel (which is owned and >>>> operated by the HEI Hotels & Resorts) are engaged in a >>>> serious labor dispute; these workers called for a boycott >>>> of their hotel in March 2010 after enduring more than a >>>> year of anti-union intimidation. Picket lines and other >>>> union activities occur regularly in conjunction with the >>>> consumer boycott. >>>> >>>> As a union of hospitality workers throughout the U.S. and >>>> Canada, we take great pride in our commitment to building >>>> a community of union members and their families. Across >>>> our two countries, UNITE HERE members have fought for and >>>> won innovative improvements that reflect this commitment >>>> by pooling our resources to provide health and welfare >>>> funds which include benefits for domestic partners and >>>> their dependants, child & elder care programs, and >>>> pensions that ensure a dignified retirement after a career >>>> of service. Additionally, our members have fought for and >>>> won improvements in workplace health and safety standards, >>>> particularly for room attendants who suffer from an >>>> alarmingly high injury rate. In a survey of more than 600 >>>> hotel housekeepers in the U.S. and Canada, 91% said that >>>> they have suffered work-related pain. 77% said their >>>> workplace pain interfered with routine activities. >>>> >>>> UNITE HERE members have also been tackling the issue of >>>> affordable, quality housing. Many hotel workers either >>>> struggle to or are simply unable to afford housing close >>>> to the luxury hotels where they work. In particular, our >>>> local union in Toronto, Canada has made great strides on >>>> this issue. Working in partnership with city council, the >>>> Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto, and the >>>> Toronto Community Housing Corporation, the 60 Richmond >>>> Co-op was completed in March 2010. This LEED Gold >>>> Certified, 85-unit building includes a community garden >>>> and shared courtyard space for hotel workers and their >>>> families. >>>> >>>> However, Sheraton Crystal City Hotel employees do not >>>> currently enjoy these or any benefits of having a union. >>>> In fact, HEI’s refusal to provide a fair process for >>>> employees to decide whether to form a union lies at the >>>> heart of the labor dispute and boycott at the hotel. >>>> Several other hotels in the Arlington, VA/Washington D.C. >>>> area (including the Double Tree Crystal City, Capitol >>>> Hilton, Embassy Suites Crystal City, and the Sheraton >>>> Premiere at Tyson's Corner) have historically agreed to >>>> such a process – they have remained neutral and recognized >>>> unions once presented with authorization cards signed by a >>>> majority of employees. The Sheraton Crystal City has >>>> chosen instead to do just the opposite – workers have been >>>> subjected to an aggressive anti-union campaign which >>>> ultimately led them to the decision to begin a boycott (in >>>> March 2010). >>>> >>>> Too often, otherwise well-planned events end in >>>> disappointment because organizations are poorly informed >>>> about the nature of a labor dispute or expect a speedy >>>> resolution. But by changing the location of the June 2011 >>>> conference to another venue, the Cohousing Association of >>>> the United States can take a stand to strengthen our >>>> communities. Moreover, your important work deserves >>>> better than to be placed in the midst of a labor dispute. >>>> As one of the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel’s valued >>>> customers, you have an influential voice. >>>> >>>> Given our shared vision and the Cohousing Association’s >>>> commitment to “improve the world, one neighborhood at a >>>> time”, we hope that you will choose to relocate your June >>>> 2011 conference to a venue which is free of labor >>>> disputes. For a complete list of labor disputes and union >>>> hotels in the Arlington/Washington D.C. area and >>>> throughout North America, please visit >>>> www.unionhotelguide.org. Also, please contact me with any >>>> questions, concerns, or to learn more about how to best >>>> protect your event. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> In Solidarity, >>>> Micah Ehler >>>> Unite HERE! >>>> Boycott Coordinator >>>> 614-746-1145 >>>> mehler [at] unitehere.org >>>> _________________________________________________________________ >>>> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: >>>> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/ >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> _________________________________________________________________ >>> Cohousing-L mailing list -- Unsubscribe, archives and other info at: >>> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L/ >>> >>> >> >> >
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2011 Conference Micah Ehler, March 24 2011
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Re: 2011 Conference Craig Ragland, March 25 2011
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Re: 2011 Conference Bruce Koloseike, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Craig Ragland, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Craig Ragland, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Sharon Villines, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Micah Ehler, March 25 2011
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Re: 2011 Conference Bruce Koloseike, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Micah Ehler, March 25 2011
- Re: 2011 Conference Micah Ehler, March 25 2011
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Re: 2011 Conference Craig Ragland, March 25 2011
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