Picketers, bullhorn chants greeted guests at San Francisco Grand Hyatt; Picket line over today

[Omaha Steve]

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/hotelcheckin/post/2009/11/picket-line-bullhorn-chants-greet-guests-at-san-franciscos-grand-hyatt/1

Nov 08, 2009

Travelers who visited the Grand Hyatt at San Francisco's Union Square this past weekend faced picketing hotel workers who went on strike for three days, the San Francisco Chronicle and local radio station KCBS reports.

Workers picketed the Grand Hyatt Hotel for Thursday, Friday and Saturday to what they said were unreasonable changes to their contract, the Chronicle story says. Some 6,000 San Francisco hotel employees at city hotels have been without a contract since August with health care costs being a major sticking point, according to the Chronicle report.

While the Grand Hyatt Hotels became the first hotel to be picketed by union members, it may not be the last. Union President Mike Casey told the Chronicle that other downtown San Francisco hotels could face walkouts if negotiators don't reach agreement on health care costs and other key issues.

"I believe that our actions are restrained but they will escalate," he told the Chronicle.

The strike was intended to send a clear signal to this corporation that they cannot use a temporary downturn to permanently drive down workers' living standards," a story on the union's blog says.

FULL story at link.