Community members and labor leaders defend immigrant worker rights in Emeryville

EMERYVILLE, CA-
On Friday morning, September 29, community members including faith-based leaders, local union members and residents demonstrated their support for immigrant workers at the Woodfin Suites in Emeryville. Carrying mops, brooms, drums, and noise makers demonstrators demanded "Woodfin Clean-Up your Act" and "Worker Rights Now!"

In November 2005, EBASE ( East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy) passed Measure C -- a living wage and workload protection ordinance for hotel housekeepers.
Although measure C has been in effect since December, the hotels have still refused to comply and workers have faced retaliation for organzing themselves to stand up for their rights. In an attempt to silence and intimidate immigrant workers, which is most of the hotel workers, Woodfin Suites gave the workers 24 hours on Wednesday, September 27, to re-submit their work authorization papers. Employers are only required to check these documents at the time of hire and it is not standard practice to ask for a re-submission of these documents.EBASE has stated "This is an obvious and illegal attempt to use immigration status to punish workers for speaking out. Woodfin workers need your support to defend their jobs and resist this attack on their rights."

After a delegation of over 50 workers, residents, clergy, lawyers, labor leaders, and immigrant rights advocates attempted to deliver a petition to the manager requesting more information in writing on Thursday, the delegation was met with silence and a call to the police.

According to EBASE, this is not the first attack on workers rights from Woodfin Suites, "Woodfin Hotel has repeatedly punished and threatened workers for discussing Measure C. Managers havegiven workers false information, held captive-audience meetings, grilled workers individually about their opinion of the law, and fired a worker involved in Measure C outreach. In spite of this harassment, dozens of Woodfin workers have organized to stand up for their Measure C rights – educating other workers, presenting a petition to managers to demand compliance, and speaking out before the Emeryville City Council."

With less than 24 hours notice, over 40 supporters responded to an emergency call to take action in support of the workers at Woodfin Suites, and began gathering at 8am
on Friday morning filling the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Supporters included members of ACORN, AFSCME, Building Trades Council, Central Labor Council of Alameda County, Legal Aid Society, SEIU, Semanarians for Worker Justice, UFCW and residents.

Workers' participated in the action by waving sheets off some of the balconies to the cheers and chants of the crowd below.
The workers still have their jobs but the hotel has not retracted their request for the re-submission of documents. Keeping up the public pressure is critical to helping protect the workers' rights.

Supporters are asked to call Woodfin Suites Manager, Ms. Mary Beth Smith at (510) 601-5880.
Tell Ms. Smith to immediately:
Comply with the Measure C living wage ordinance; Cease retaliation against workers standing up for their rights; and Retract the hotel's request that workers re-submit work authorization documents.

There will be another support demonstration on Thursday morning, October 5, 7-9am at Woodfin Suites in Emeryville
5800 Shellmound, near Borders and the Emeryville Public Market.

For more information about this situation, please contact EBASE organizers:
Sarah Norr at (510) 435-9475 or sarah [at] workingeastbay.org, or
Brooke Anderson at (510) 290-0978 or brooke [at] workingeastbay.org
http://workingeastbay.blogspot.com/