Reason Enough To Boycott

[plumtreeblossom]

Three Hyatt hotels in Boston tricked their housekeeping staffs into training outsourced "vacation replacement" workers, then laid-off the staffers and installed the outsourced workers in their place. The staffers had been making $15+ per hour with health benefits and 401Ks. Some had been with Hyatt for over 20 years. The outsourced workers will make $8 an hour with no benefits. (For those not local, $8 an hour is far below a living wage even in greater Boston's poorest neighborhoods).

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/09/17/housekeepers_lose_hyatt_jobs_to_outsourcing/

Obviously I have no personal need for hotels in Boston, but when employed I book local hotels for executives and clients all the time. I urge anyone working in administration or travel assistance, or anyone who travels for business or pleasure, to choose another chain. The article outlines how other hotel chains have dealt with economic hardship without ruining the lives of entire departments of staffers. This didn't have to happen. It's deplorable, and it makes me see red.

Comments

[scholargipsy.livejournal.com]

These people are lower than carrion. Knowing what they've done, I am happy to boycott their chain in perpetuity.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

That's heinous.

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

This makes attending Arisia...awkward (to say the least).

[aphrabehn.livejournal.com]

I just read the article and wrote myself a note - no more Hyatt. I book travel constantly in my job and use Hyatt quite a bit.

Not any more.

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

Horrible. Those boycotting should let Hyatt know why they just lost business.

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

Thanks for expressing my outrage better than I could.

And yeah, if Hyatt doesn't reverse this right quick, I'm certainly not staying in their hotel, and I'm very much inclined not to so much as step inside the hotel, even if it means no Arisia at all. A

[docorion.livejournal.com]

I will be considering not going to Arisia. The three of us will, however, likely be staying in the overflow hotel if we do go. Or day tripping from home instead of hoteling; we could use the money.

I'm still waiting for my call from the GM of the Hyatt. As I told the Arisia LJ, I'm not holding my breath :-)

[saxikath]

Utterly appalling. I don't do a lot of hotel travel, but when I do, I will not stay at a Hyatt. Disgusting.

[minkrose]

This completely sucks. I've already paid for Andy & me to go to Arisia next year, and there's not point in having the passes if we aren't staying at the hotel. Nevermind that Arisia is the only for-me vacation I take all year, and I don't have any extra $$ to spend on other trips for myself right now. I certainly don't have the extra $$ to skip the con after I've already paid for it.

I'm already in the Arisia LJ group and I'll definitely be a part of anything that can be done to show displeasure with the Hyatt (letter writing, etc). But it's really not an option for me to boycott the entire con. At least I can avoid the Hyatt in the future!

[moechus.livejournal.com]

I've already paid for this coming Arisia and it's one of the few times I get to see an old friend from NJ. Last year, we booked too late and wound up staying at the Marriott. I have emailed her with the suggestion that we stay at the Marriott again regardless of the availability or rooms at the Hyatt. And I intend to avoid any food or drink at the Hyatt.