Chapel Post

3/16: Road to Backwages Picket

NEXT PICKET:
Monday, March 16th from 5-6:30 PM (St. Patrick's Day themed!)
Woodfin Suite Hotel, 5800 Shellmound, Emeryville



Dear friends -

Dozens of courageous current and former Woodfin workers are now one step closer to justice in their 1,188-day quest for backwages and justice.

On Tuesday, March 3rd, the Emeryville City Council voted unanimously to finalize the ruling that the Woodfin owes workers some $200,000 in backwages for the nearly year-long period when the hotel refused to comply with the city's living wage ordinance, Measure C. The Council had previously completed 5 nights and 18 hours of testimony and deliberations, concluding with a voice vote in support of full backwages for workers. Tuesday night's vote adopted the written findings of that ruling. We expect City staff to send a written order for the backwages to the Woodfin soon, including a deadline by which the Woodfin must pay up.

In the meantime, until workers have checks in hand, the boycott and pickets continue. Especially in this time of economic crisis, it is unconscionable for a corporation like the Woodfin to refuse backwages to its workers, who earned every penny of it with their own sweat and back-breaking labor. Thankfully, the workers continue to count on the support and solidarity of an amazing community of worker justice activists - you!

Join us for a picket on Monday, March 16th from 5-6:30 PM outside the Woodfin Suite Hotel to celebrate this most recent victory and to remind the Woodfin that la lucha sigue. On this eve of St. Patrick's day, wear green for good luck and for our hope that justice is on the way!

To RSVP for the picket, please contact Elizabeth Henry at 510-893-7106, ext. 328 or at Elizabeth@workingeastbay.org.

EBASE

P.S. to view some of the media coverage of Tuesday night's decision, visit:
-- Oakland Tribune
-- KPFA (minute 28:48)
-- People's Weekly World
--The San Diego Daily Transcript, a business publication in the Woodfin's home town, also ran on article this Thursday entitled "Emeryville council tells S.D. hotel developer to pay up."

Posted by Sam at 9:33 PM