Several hundred hotel workers, union supporters, and labor activists took to the streets of Long Beach over the weekend to help launch the national Hope for Housekeepers campaign. The campaign is focusing on Hyatt and Hilton hotels in California, but plans to act on a national scale as well. Unions have accused the hotels of abusing their housekeepers and working to keep unions out. Hotel workers have higher rates of injury than other service workers, and non-union workers make significantly less money and work more demanding hours than their unionized counterparts. Unite Here Local 11 is hoping for a neutrality agreement with Hyatt that would allow workers to organize if enough signed authorization cards, but the hotel, which has largely dismissed union allegations, is holding out for secret ballot.
See "Union hopes to organize Long Beach hotel workers", Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, October 4, 2009