Comments on: Fired Housekeepers Seek Nationwide Hyatt Boycott http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers WBUR is Boston's NPR News Station, featuring NPR news and programs such as Car Talk, On Point, Here & Now, Only A Game and Radio Boston. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:31:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Human Project http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2884 Human Project Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:20:18 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2884 Write above said, "While the situation is certainly unfortunate, why are these 100 housekeepers’ stories any more unfortunate than the MILLIONS of Americans that have already lost their jobs during this recession?" Let's not just grin and bear it, but think about changing the structure of society. Why do hotels have to make a profit? The free enterprise system doesn't know best -- the Wall streeters showed us how poorly capitalism works; its time to discuss the alternatives to work for a better society for the average person, even if the heights of wealth will no longer be enjoyed by some. Write above said, “While the situation is certainly unfortunate, why are these 100 housekeepers’ stories any more unfortunate than the MILLIONS of Americans that have already lost their jobs during this recession?”

Let’s not just grin and bear it, but think about changing the structure of society. Why do hotels have to make a profit? The free enterprise system doesn’t know best — the Wall streeters showed us how poorly capitalism works; its time to discuss the alternatives to work for a better society for the average person, even if the heights of wealth will no longer be enjoyed by some.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2522 Anonymous Mon, 19 Oct 2009 19:44:36 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2522 A boycott would only lead to worse financial hardship for hotels and therefore a loss of even MORE jobs. Urging a boycott during harsh economic times is an irresponsible knee-jerk reaction by a governor trying to generate more press for himself without giving any thought to the consequences of his actions. While the situation is certainly unfortunate, why are these 100 housekeepers' stories any more unfortunate than the MILLIONS of Americans that have already lost their jobs during this recession? Since Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and other hotel chains have also laid off thousands of workers, should we boycott the entire industry? Should we also boycott the auto industry, all retail and consumer goods, sinking our economy into deeper recession just to "stick it to the man" and punish ourselves in the end? A boycott would only lead to worse financial hardship for hotels and therefore a loss of even MORE jobs. Urging a boycott during harsh economic times is an irresponsible knee-jerk reaction by a governor trying to generate more press for himself without giving any thought to the consequences of his actions.

While the situation is certainly unfortunate, why are these 100 housekeepers’ stories any more unfortunate than the MILLIONS of Americans that have already lost their jobs during this recession? Since Marriott, Starwood, Hilton and other hotel chains have also laid off thousands of workers, should we boycott the entire industry? Should we also boycott the auto industry, all retail and consumer goods, sinking our economy into deeper recession just to “stick it to the man” and punish ourselves in the end?

]]> By: joe connor http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2079 joe connor Sat, 03 Oct 2009 02:28:26 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2079 Above comment claims Martha Coakley can not weigh in on Hyatt Housekeepers firings and replacements. And claims Martha Coakley is "doing her job." Is Martha Coakley now running for United States Senator? Is she prohibited from commenting due to her current job as the writer seems to claim? Please, Martha Coakley should be able to do better than that. I admired her before but now feel she lacks the courage that Capuano showed. Her seeming silence is a signal to me that she is "being handled" by her many wealthy and powerful supporters. Care to reveal evidence that as a senate candidate she is in the fray on this crucial economic scandal? Is the anonymous blogger employed by Coakley machine? Above comment claims Martha Coakley can not weigh in on Hyatt Housekeepers
firings and replacements. And claims Martha Coakley is “doing her job.” Is Martha
Coakley now running for United States Senator? Is she prohibited from commenting
due to her current job as the writer seems to claim? Please, Martha Coakley should
be able to do better than that. I admired her before but now feel she lacks the
courage that Capuano showed. Her seeming silence is a signal to me that she is
“being handled” by her many wealthy and powerful supporters. Care to reveal evidence that as a senate candidate she is in the fray on this crucial economic scandal? Is the anonymous blogger employed by Coakley machine?

]]> By: Hyatt Hyatt http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2018 Hyatt Hyatt Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:04:12 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2018 Coakley has not been quiet on this issue. The Globe reported last week that her office is investigating this issue and that her office cannot comment on a potential criminal issue. She is doing her job and not looking for headlines. Beats Capuano. Coakley has not been quiet on this issue. The Globe reported last week that her office is investigating this issue and that her office cannot comment on a potential criminal issue. She is doing her job and not looking for headlines. Beats Capuano.

]]> By: Hyatt Boycott http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2015 Hyatt Boycott Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:03:31 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2015 We continue to get signatures on our petition from all over the country, including one very long entry yesterday from Scott in Wisconsin. Please take a moment to read what he wrote, here (not on the main page because it was too long), and then add your name to the boycott list. http://www.hyattboycott.com/News/News.php?id=7784197037804321572 One sentence worth quoting: "We, the working people of America, have a right to stable, decent jobs that will not be sacrificed to corporate incompetence and greed." Amen. We continue to get signatures on our petition from all over the country, including one very long entry yesterday from Scott in Wisconsin.

Please take a moment to read what he wrote, here (not on the main page because it was too long), and then add your name to the boycott list.

http://www.hyattboycott.com/News/News.php?id=7784197037804321572

One sentence worth quoting: “We, the working people of America, have a right to stable, decent jobs that will not be sacrificed to corporate incompetence and greed.”

Amen.

]]> By: joe connor http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2008 joe connor Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:29:31 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2008 Hyatts original sin was so gaudy and their chronic inability to fathom the damage done to their reputation should make the launchings of Senate races in Ma. a good test of candidates meddle. Michael Capuano deserves kudos as does Deval Patrick. So far- Martha Coakley has been resoundingly quiet. Which seems odd- she seemed like a natural for this issue. Question- If the new workers making $8 per hour with no benefits need medical help- who will pay for their visits to the emergency room? This seems like a subsidy of Hyatt. Penny Pritzker needs good imaginative advice apart from Goldman Sachs advice on the imminent I.P.O. stock offering of Hyatt. Hyatts original sin was so gaudy and their chronic inability to fathom the damage
done to their reputation should make the launchings of Senate races in Ma. a good
test of candidates meddle. Michael Capuano deserves kudos as does Deval Patrick.
So far- Martha Coakley has been resoundingly quiet. Which seems odd- she seemed
like a natural for this issue. Question- If the new workers making $8 per hour with no
benefits need medical help- who will pay for their visits to the emergency room?
This seems like a subsidy of Hyatt. Penny Pritzker needs good imaginative advice
apart from Goldman Sachs advice on the imminent I.P.O. stock offering of Hyatt.

]]> By: Gregg http://www.wbur.org/2009/09/29/hyatt-workers/comment-page-1#comment-2007 Gregg Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:22:45 +0000 http://www.wbur.org/?p=6773#comment-2007 When I first heard the story, I fired off a letter to Hyatt and another to the Meetings and Travel Department at my company. I recommend we all do the same. For crying out loud...these women have been cleaning bathrooms after strangers for a mere $15.00 an hour for 20 years -- they deserve much better. Geez, I hate cleaning my own bathroom! When I first heard the story, I fired off a letter to Hyatt and another to the Meetings and Travel Department at my company. I recommend we all do the same. For crying out loud…these women have been cleaning bathrooms after strangers for a mere $15.00 an hour for 20 years — they deserve much better. Geez, I hate cleaning my own bathroom!

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