Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: 2011 Conference

[Craig Ragland (craigragland]

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/
>
>
>