Seattle – Following on the heels of the campaign by major grocers to reduce the standard of living for grocery workers, hotel employees are now facing a similar campaign to lower wages and benefits by the major hotels throughout the country.

A rally to stand up and fight back will be held:

WHEN: Wednesday, November 10th

WHERE: Seattle Westlake Square (6th & Westlake across from Westin Hotel)

WHO: Locked out workers from the San Francisco Westin-St. Francis hotel, And Seattle Westin employees who are being “outsourced” UNITE HERE Local 8 President Elizabeth Freeman and Secretary- Treasurer Rick Sawyer Washington State Labor Council Sec-Treas., Alan O. Link

AT: 4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.

The five major hotel corporations include the Hyatt, Marriott, Intercontinental, Hilton and Starwood, which includes the Sheraton and Westin hotels. Currently around the country those hotel companies are involved in major labor face-offs in San Francisco, Washington DC and Los Angeles. In San Francisco, 4,000 hotel workers from 14 major hotels have been locked out by their employers. In Washington DC and Los Angeles, thousands of hotel workers have given their union strike authorization. Seattle area hotel contracts being to expire this winter.

Over the years, the unionized hotel workers have won decent pay and benefits, including health care coverage that is rarely found in the industry outside of unionized workplaces. Most of the disputes involve demands to take away health care benefits.

For more information, contact UNITE HERE Local 8 campaign coordinator Ben Mantle or EricVan Rossum at 253 272 3267 ext 4 or 206 728-2326 ext. 21.