Philly UNITE HERE members held a candlelight vigil outside of the Hyatt Regency Penn’s Landing demanding that Hyatt Hotels “Bring Back the Hyatt 100.” Workers offered prayers and songs, and unfurled a 150-foot long “Hope Quilt,” which stitches together stories of Hyatt housekeepers and the pain they endure everyday.

In August, Hyatt Hotels fired 100 housekeepers from its three Boston area hotels after asking the workers to train their replacements from an outsourcing agency. The action ignited a national controversy for Hyatt Hotels, which launched an initial public offering of its stock on November 5, 2009. One of the Hyatt 100, Aracelly Arango, spoke at our vigil.

The vigil ended a week of actions by thousands of workers in a dozen cities.

Tonight: Philadelphia Hotel Workers Hold Vigil for Boston’s “Hyatt 100”

As part of a wave of actions across North America, workers bring the 150-foot “Hope Quilt” to Philadelphia — spotlighting pain and mistreatment of Hyatt housekeepers

WHAT: Candlelight vigil with “Hope Quilt,” as part of a wave of actions in U.S. and Canada, calling for Hyatt to “Bring Back the Hyatt 100” housekeepers in Boston and end mistreatment of housekeepers in hotels across North America.

WHO: Philadelphia housekeepers and fellow members of UNITE HERE
Aracelly Arango, one of the “Hyatt 100” fired housekeepers from Boston

WHERE: Outside the Hyatt Regency Penn’s Landing, Dock St & Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia

WHEN: 5:00 p.m. Tonight, Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Last week the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) announced the results of the election to represent the 2,300 cafeteria workers and noon time aides in the Philadelphia School District: members of UNITE HERE Local 634 voted by a 2:1 margin to stay with their union and rejected SEIU’s anti-union tactics.

After months of attacks directed by New York-based SEIU 32BJ, the PLRB counted 1121 votes for UNITE HERE Local 634 and only 551 votes for SEIU Philadelphia Joint Board. There were 10 votes for no union and 198 challenged ballots.