Union Yes! *Campaign for Equality* March on Santa Clara Hyatt

Business or pleasure travelers to Silicon Valley check in to a "name brand" hotel, go straight to a clean room with oversized mattresses and wonderfully plush comforters, and probably never give a thought to how those luxury accommodations are maintained. But have YOU ever wondered? Do you know if the workers there have the protection that comes from collectively bargained terms of employment? Are their wages fair, do they have benefits? What about workload?

The South Bay Labor Council reports there are still several hotels in our area which fail to provide fair compensation for a good day's work. There exist hotels where the right to bargain collectively is ignored, and where workers who seek better employment conditions are punished for their efforts.

Into this environment 24 brave employees of the Santa Clara Hyatt are forging forward and have created the *Union YES! Committee*. They work in the Hyatt's kitchen, the lobby bar, and at the switchboard. Many are are directly responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of the rooms that guests take for granted, working in housekeeping and laundry services.

The union committee members along with about 60 Hyatt employees marched to remind hotel management they have the right to form a union and have a voice on the job without the threat of intimidation.