The National Press Club

Contacts: Blair FitzGibbon, (202) 503-6141
Tim Rusch, (917) 399-0236, tim@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Hyatt Hotels Targeted by Global Boycott For Abuse of Workers

NFL Players Association, NOW, Labor Leaders, Workers, LGBT Organizations and Prominent Musicians Announce Boycott at 7/23 DC Press Conference

Demonstrations Planned at Hyatts Across US

Washington, DC—On Monday, July 23, 2012, a far-reaching global boycott of Hyatt hotels launches in response to the hotel company’s extensive abuse of their workers and low wages. The NFL Players Association, UNITE HERE, workers, students and renowned musicians will combine forces to support the boycott, which will include a full week of demonstrations at Hyatt Hotels and other actions in 20 US cities, including Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore, Indianapolis and Boston.

What: Press Conference announcing a global boycott of Hyatt Hotels for extensive worker abuse and a week of protest activities atHyatt locations in cities around the country, including Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco, Chicago, Baltimore, Indianapolis and Boston.

Who: MC: John Wilhelm, President, UNITE HERE

Speakers:
--Terry O’Neill, President, National Organization for Women (NOW)
--DeMaurice Smith, Executive Director, National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Darlene Nipper, Deputy Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
--Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change
--Current hotel workers who can speak to Hyatt's abuses

Other Participants:
--Kim Bobo, Executive Director, Interfaith Worker Justice
--Kim Gandy, Vice President of the Feminist Majority Foundation
--Peggy Shorey, Executive Director, Pride at Work
--Jerame Davis, Executive Director, National Stonewall Democrats
--Cindy Pearson, Executive Director, National Women’s Health Network
--Rabbi Barbara Penzner, Chair of the Rabbinic Cabinet of the Jewish Labor Community and Founder of the Justice at Hyatt campaign Hyatt Housekeepers
-- Cleve Jones, Founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
Where and When: The National Press Club in Washington DC., Zenger Room
Monday, July 23rd at 10 am.

Why: The global boycott marks the largest escalation to date in an ongoing campaign for basic workers rights. Hyatt has singled itself out as the worst employer in the hotel industry by abusing its housekeepers and other hotel workers, replacing longtime employees with minimum wage temporary workers, and imposing dangerous and health-threatening workloads on those who remain.

Thousands of community supporters are joining Hyatt workers in this call to boycott the hotel company. By choosing to not eat, meet or sleep at Hyatt, they are urging friends, family and the public to send a clear message to Hyatt that its abuse and exploitation of hotel workers will not be tolerated. In response, Hyatt workers have taken bold steps to end mistreatment, speaking publicly about abuses, going on strike, and now joining in a global boycott of Hyatt.

In conjunction with the global boycott launch this week, major organizations and prominent public figures will show their support by issuing a call to more than 2 million people, encouraging them to go online and “Vote Hyatt the Worst Hotel Employer in America.” The global boycott has also been endorsed by the IUF--the global federation of trade unions--and virtually every union representing hotel workers worldwide.

To RSVP for Press Conference: tim@fitzgibbonmedia.com

Note to press: Experts and workers will be available for interviews at the Press Conference and throughout the coming weeks.

Top Four Reasons to Boycott Hyatt:

1. Hyatt’s subcontracting is destroying good jobs and exploiting immigrant workers.

2. Hyatt housekeepers suffer abuse and face dangerous workloads

3. Hyatt has refused to remain neutral as non-union hotel workers organize.

4. Hyatt turned heat lamps on striking workers during a brutal heat wave.

For more information about the boycott and abuses by Hyatt Hotels, visit www.HyattHurts.org > , Twitter @hyatthurtsus and Facebook at www.facebook.com/hyatthurts .