http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/11/10/18328696.php
Fri Nov 10 2006 Immigrant Workers Threatened After They Speak Out for Hotel Workers' Rights
On Monday, November 13th there will be a rally against threatened mass firings at the Woodfin Hotel in Emeryville. Hotel workers and their supporters will gather at 5:00pm at 5800 Shellmound St. for a "high-energy, family-friendly, musical, candle-lit community protest."
These immigrant workers received notices several weeks ago saying that the company believed their social security numbers were incorrect, and giving them a deadline of October 19th to fix the problem. After an outcry from the community, the Woodfin extended its deadline by a month, and no workers have yet been fired. Hotel managers are still insisting that they will terminate any employee who cannot correct a social security “no-match.” The managers claimed that they are acting on an order from the federal government-- however, when there is a problem with a worker's social security number, a letter is sent to the employee, not to the employer, and the letters state that employers should not fire or discriminate against workers who receive them.
Woodfin Hotel workers are still demanding what is owed to them under the new living wage law in Emeryville, 2005's Measure C, which passed by the voters and took effect last December. The measure guarantees workers a living wage, job security when hotels are sold, and reasonable workload limits. The hotel never expressed suspicion about the employees' work authorization until after they had spoken out for Measure C. The timing of this request strongly suggests that the hotel is punishing workers for defending their legal rights – which constitutes illegal retaliation.
Protest organizers say, "The Woodfin has become ground zero in the East Bay to fight to defend immigrant rights and to defend city laws that improve working conditions. Workers are counting on your continued support to protect their jobs and show the Woodfin that our community will not tolerate harassment and intimidation of immigrant workers." Read more
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/11/01/18325506.php
Emeryville Hotel Workers Need Support 11/13
An update from EBASE (East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy) on the situation at the Woodfin Hotel in Emeryville, where workers were threatened with mass firings after they campaigned for enforcement of a local living wage law. The workers are still struggling to save their jobs, and in urgent need of support from the community. On Monday, November 13 at 6 pm, join EBASE outside the Woodfin (5800 Shellmound St. in Emeryville) for their biggest community support action yet.