Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: How can we have a successful nationalconferenceandrespect the hotel boycott at the same time?

[Catya Belfer (catya]

On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 7:53 AM, Doug Chamberlin
<chamberlin.doug [at] gmail.com>wrote:

>
> On 5/26/11 10:54 PM, Richart Keller wrote:
> > To refer back to my basic message:
> > that the problem-solving approach in cohousing communities is
> fundamentally
> > different than the tactics used by the union--much closer to the approach
> of
> > non-violent communication--and that I propose that we respond to the
> > fundamental issues raised by the union (oppressive treatment of hotel
> > employees) in a way which is consistent with cohousing practice.
> I agree completely with Rick. A thoughtful response in concert with your
> own values and practices is more appropriate than a seemingly automatic
> positive response to a request for a boycott.
>

Speaking *without* my staff or planning team hats on, and as someone who
personally struggled a lot with this, I agree.  In the letter Lisa and Craig
wrote (http://conference.cohousing.org/docs/2011/2011_hotel_labor_issue.pdf),
they described the efforts they had made:

"We contacted the Unite Here representative to explore mutually beneficial
solutions, hoping to find a way to support the broader cause without
sacrificing the conference or association. 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. We also invited the organization to meet with our board and
future conference teams to inform us on these issues, and assist us in
making labor-friendly venue choices. The representative was not interested
in any action other than an unequivocal boycott of the hotel – they saw no
room for creative compromise."

I wish that we were able to do these things, and it makes me squirm that we
can't, but knowing that those offers were rejected and that it would be a
huge financial problem, i'm in support of the conference.

(which, yes, is good since i'm staff and planning team, but trust me that
one doesn't automatically lead to the other!)

     - cat

Catya Belfer   -  www.catya.org
Technical Director   -   www.cohousing.org
Cohousing in MA!  -  www.mosaic-commons.org