Reader to Hyatt Hotels: "Shame on you" for outsourcing housekeepers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/09/68499403/1?poe=HFMostPopular

Sep 20, 2009

Few of the comments received this weekend about Hyatt Hotels' decision to fire about 100 of its housekeepers at three Boston-area hotels and replace them with outsourced workers expressed empathy for hotel operator. In fact, some readers say they won't stay at Hyatts again because of the move.

Is that opinion widely shared? We'll likely find out this week, as politicians such as Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (photo) and others step up pressure on Chicago-based Hyatt, owned mostly by Chicago's billionaire Pritzker family. (The company's in the process of going public.)

On Aug. 31, Hyatt decided to fire about 100 low-wage housekeepers and replace them with cheaper, outsourced workers. Since then, Hyatt's move has been attracting growing opposition - including Gov. Patrick. According to a Friday afternoon Boston Globe report, Patrick called up Hyatt CEO Mark Hoplamazian and asked him to reconsider. Late Friday night, I posted this in-depth overview on the story, as well as Hyatt's public statement in its entirety.

The comments that followed from USA TODAY readers and Twitter followers indicate that the backlash has the potential to broaden this week.

USA TODAY reader Davidwnv, for example, wrote: "Shame on Hyatt. I will never stay in a Hyatt property again. I will also encourage my 300,000+ colleagues to avoid all Hyatt properties."

FULL story at link.

[JeanGrey]

1. This is disgusting. How cheap can you get? I mean, are

the cleaners getting five bucks instead of six? I'll pass on Hyatt forever.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

3. THE INDIANS HAVE ATTACKED

[JeanGrey]

6. I doubt seriously however my threat will have any weight;

I'm a LaQuinta Red Roof kinda gal. We can't afford the Hyatt.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. outsourced from where?

[gmoney]

4. They ship the rooms to India every day? (n/t)

[Omaha Steve]

5. From the Labor Forum

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=367x22862


http://www.jwjblog.org/2009/09/100-hyatt-housekeepers-f... /

By Allison Fletcher Acosta, on September 18th, 2009

On August 31 all 100 housekeepers at Hyatt’s three Boston area hotels were fired. They were given their last paychecks, told to clean out their lockers and leave. Some had worked for Hyatt for more than 20 years.

The housekeepers had been told they were training workers who would be filling in for vacations, but they had in fact been training their replacements. Upon being fired, they were immediately replaced by workers from an out-of-state subcontractor Hyatt brought in which will pay workers $8/hour with no benefits.

Last night, more than 400 people, including members of Massachusetts JwJ and UNITE HERE Local 26 gathered outside the Hyatt Regency Boston to demand that they give workers their jobs back. Several state and local politicians attended the rally, and Mayor Menino issued a statement in support of the workers. Stay tuned for updates on this story.

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. wow... thanks for the info. Training their replacements...that's brutal

[sharp_stick]

7. It's off my list already

I like the Hyatt, but I removed it from my preferred list at work after this and made sure they knew why.

[FarCenter]

8. Hyatt spends too much on lobbies, restaurants, common areas - most rooms aren't that nice

[Omaha Steve]

10. Kick