Woodfin struggle continues

The actions of Woodfin Suite Hotels in the East Bay city of Emeryville epitomize the term "evil corporation." Since September of last year they have been trying to fire immigrant workers who are simply demanding that Woodfin comply with Emeryville's recently-passed living wage law.

Every other hotel in town had no problem complying, yet the Woodfin apparently feels it is entitled to continue exploiting workers - paying them poverty wages and then trying to fire them when they demand what they are due.

In truly vindictive fashion, just ten days before Christmas the Woodfin made good on its threat and fired twenty one workers. A court temporarily blocked the firings and ruled the workers should be permitted to stay on the job until April 20, which is fast approaching.  Woodfin is even suing the city over Measure C, the living wage law.  Seems they're doing everything possible to avoid respecting workers' rights and meeting the requirements of the measure.

An easy thing to do is send an email to the Woodfin CEO telling him to meet the workers' demands and that you'll boycott the Woodfin. Keep an eye on WoodfinWatch.org for further developments. And of course, spread the word.

A protest on April 10 at Emeryville's City Hall, followed by a march to the Woodfin. It's hard to see, but there are about 10 various monks and priests on the stage.  Even god (in its hypothetical christian incarnations) is pissed off at the Woodfin.

Smug Woodfin workers watching the April 10 rally. Apparently they have yet to learn the boss will be more than happy to kick their asses to the curb, too.

A Christmas protest following the original firings.

They didn't like us dropping by.

Grinch is pissed, too.

Comments

[K. Francis]

Disagree with your assessment of the Woodfin. Still not understanding how the protest is side-stepping the documentation issue. These individuals were released from employment for fraudulent identification, which is just cause for ANY employee to be fired, even more so for an individual who may be in this country undocumented (illegally).Penalize the hotel retroactively if you wish....but it simply is unjust to keep these people on the payroll, working next to others who took the legal route. What do you tell Woodfin workers with valid papers, who took the long road, who waited in line for papers, for work, for everything they've earned? And what do they tell their children about the rule of law?

We all know illegal immigrants. But there is risk involved in playing the game. It’s a gamble. You’re flying under the radar with someone else's social security number. When it’s discovered, the gig is up. You have to accept that possibility. When you go to Vegas and lose on the tables, you can't sue the casino.

There are marchers, illegals, on the protest line who have been warned by the INS: we catch you one more time (crossing the border), you go to prison. One has to admire the balls they must have to be so visible. On the other hand.....unions won't bail illegals out of jail.

These protests will have a back draft, and I fear it will tarnish the progressive movement. A lot of us left leaning, less vocal folks are scratching our heads at the illogic of the protest. When Bobby Kennedy threw in his lot with poor people Hispanics, African-Americans, farm-workers.... he didn't abandoned his respect for the law; but he used his experience as attorney general (top lawyer in the country)and tried to foster change legally. This Woodfin action....a strange mixing of Jimmy Hoffa and Che Guevara... is perplexing to many of (the rest of) us on the left.

[scott]

I don't know what left you're on - is it the anti-worker, anti-immigrant left?

The bottom line is that the Woodfin had no problem employing both documented and undocumented workers so long as they kept their heads down and didn't complain. But when the workers started to demand their rights as mandated by Emeryville city law, then the Woodfin decided to retaliate - against both documented and undocumented workers, as well as guests and the city. It's not about social security numbers or immigration status.

Seems you prefer to take the side of the massive corporation - which is both exploiting workers and flouting the law - instead of defending workers, regardless of their immigration status. To blame immigrants for migrating instead of the blaming the forces that cause them to migrate is a classic conservative, anti-immigrant argument. Use that vacuous reasoning if you wish, but don't call it "left."

[K Francis]

(a) The Woodfin is not a massive corporation--its midsize at best.
(b) You are right--the Woodfin -- LIKE MANY MANY MANY corporations nation-wide turned a blind eye to Social Security fraud. If there are sanctions that should be made against them retroactively, since they opened in 2000,for not properly vetting emplyees prior to hire, then so be it.
(c) No one is "blaming immigrants". That’s a tired sound bite. We know this is a nation of immigrants. But that phrase never implied illegal entry. .....what of the millions of Irish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish abd yes Mexicans who took the legal route? Who worked menial jobs for low pay? Who srubbed floors so their kids could go to college......how should they feel when they see massive shortcuts being taken? Why have any laws? (d) It is reality.....the average gringo, 2nd generation or beyond US citizen will NOT take the jobs that these folks take....but the answer is legislation not erratic selective protesting of one group. March on Washington and demand change from Bush.... (e) Woodfin employees did not start demanding their rights per Measure C--they were implored to do so. Union infiltrators started recruiting and giving the false impression that the workers were being denied the "American dream". Again....if these folks were legal, then it would make sense....for at least one generation now, public schools have been teaching "social studies" in place of "civics" and it is bearing fruit now.

These perhaps well-meaning people (protesters)--some deserve that label--have placed these undocumented people at more risk than they were ever in....

Start with the law--not just measure C..ALL OF IT. Not just Emeryville, but FEDERAL LAW. To appel to local law only smacks of Republicanism.

A social security number is a very important number to the person owning it. Its not like falsifying an older brothers divers license so you can drink before legal age at a bar. It links the government to all of a citizen’s private information. If you have ever been a victim of identity fraud you will know what I mean.

I am from the left as in RFK, JFK, MLK, Cesar Chavez, Gandhi, Thomas Merton, Pope John Paul the first…...the people that espoused peace and opposed violence.

You showed photos of Franciscans in your photos. I have to give them the benefit of the doubt b/c I do not know what that event was. However, the union and the E. Bay Alliance folks are of a different ilk. When did shouting and misinformation become a tool for peace? When did phone calls threatening rape and violence become acceptable means of action? (Yes, these things did happen--there is a phone log as long as a lamppost). When did harassing out-of-town guests (inhospitality) become "OK"? This is anything but Franciscan. When did it become fair play to send an 11 year old blind child into the owners neighborhood to propogandize?

I believe there is a sect of the progressive movement that has accepted violence. How else would Che Guevara end up on protest signs? Violence as a means to justice and peace is scandal. And he not only advocated in but also was an active participant in violence and death in the name of progress and jutice.

We are simply fed up with knee jerk, loud, "speak before you think", "report before you investigate" groups. The truth comes out in the end. But how many people will be unfairly smeared on websites, in random photos without of context captions.

Unions are legal, although they do not always live up to the code of ethics required. Unionize if you wish. But follow the law; don’t be disingenuous. Don’t lie. Don’t tell people they have rights that are not afforded non-citizens.

And truly take up the mantle of peace. The constitution gives us the right to say what we want, to gather publicly to express ourselves. It’s up to us to make sure that its done with honor and in truth. As Jesus said, “without Love, you are simply a noisy clanging gong”.

It is is is about legal status. Once someone is legal, they have the right to work. Stop blurring "documented" employees with "undocumented".

First things first.