Sheraton Victory at Last!
Sheraton housekeepers and laundry workers announced a major victor. On Jan. 3, after a months-long campaign, including four protest actions and preparations for a federal lawsuit, Sheraton management paid 10 workers the full amount of wages they have been demanding since August 2014. Workers won other demands as well. The General Manager was fired and management changed their personnel policy. Current employees at Sheraton and Holiday Inn Express report increased wages and benefits by an estimated total of $234,000 per year for 75 workers.
Super 8 Campaign a Success!
After a series of protest actions in front the Super 8 Airport Hotel, member Froylán Rodriguez (above) won $4,400 in stolen wages in October. Housekeepers report that hotel owners replaced the General Manager and increased wages from $2.50/room to $2.75/room for all housekeeping staff. “This is victory for all workers at the hotel. They have treated us wrong for so long and it wasn’t until I joined Workers’ Dignity and we stood up united that Super 8 decided to change” – Froylán
Housekeepers Announce Wage-Theft at West End Courtyard Marriott
Several of the former Sheraton housekeepers also announced a campaign to recover unpaid wages for work at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel near Vanderbilt University. “I hope that Courtyard Marriott Management hears us and pays us our wages” – Mariela Pineda, former housekeeper at the Courtyard by Marriott Vanderbilt/West End
Just Hospitality Victories!
Workers’ Dignity member Norma, with Kelly, after she recovered unpaid wages from Courtyard Marriot in Cool Springs in October.
Worker’s Dignity members Ricardo and Kelly joined with Veronica to win back unpaid wages from a convenience store in November.
Solidarity with Black Lives Matter & Ayotzinapa
Worker’s Dignity members and supporters have stood in solidarity with people of color who are confronting state violence in the U.S. and Mexico. Members have joined protests sweeping Nashville in response to police killings of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and other members of the Black community. Members initiated a candlelight vigil in solidarity with the movement in Mexico demanding justice for the 43 teaching students disappeared by authorities in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero.
Tennessee Workers Rising
In November Worker’s Dignity and the Ironworkers Union facilitated the 2nd TN Workers Rising (left), a bilingual worker organizing institute, in Knoxville. 25 workers participated in the 2-day training. In October, members and organizers visited the New Orleans Worker Center for Racial Justice to learn from their experiences of building a multi-racial workers movement.
Welcome, Cristina!
In November, Cristina Condori joined the organizing team after years of helping lead immigrant and workers rights organizations in Memphis. Workers’ Dignity is hiring another organizer in early 2015. Help us continue to grow by becoming a monthly donor today! www.workersdignity.org/donate
Join The Fight!