Our organization understands that hotel clients appreciate being notified of any factors that could impact their stay, including labor disputes at hotels where they hold events or book guests. This is why we are writing to inform you of a heated dispute at the Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville, CA.

In November 2005, Emeryville voters approved Measure C, a living wage and workplace safety ordinance for hotel housekeepers. However, the Woodfin resisted the new law and refused to abide by it. When Woodfin workers began urging their employer to obey the law and reporting violations to the city government, managers responded by harassing workers and threatening their jobs. In April 2007, the hotel fired twelve housekeepers who had been involved in the campaign to enforce Measure C. Managers also used political connections to convince the Department of Homeland Security to investigate their own workers.

Most recently, in December 2009, an Alameda County Superior Court Judge upheld a City of Emeryville order for the Woodfin Suites Hotel to pay about $200,000 in back wages. The judge soundly dismissed each of the Woodfin Suites Hotel's arguments in his decision.

Workers have called on the public to boycott the Woodfin until the Woodfin pays them their back wages. Workers and community supporters have set up an ongoing series of demonstrations at the hotel. The boycott has been endorsed by over 25 organizations, including the California Labor Federation. The on-going actions have drawn hundreds of supporters: hotel workers, union members, community organizations, faith groups, students and elected officials. Supporters hold protests in front of the hotel urging guests to check out – often beginning at 7AM.

We are asking you to honor the boycott and not book any events at the Woodfin until we notify you that the dispute has been settled. By respecting the boycott, you will provide critical support to workers who are struggling to enforce their legal rights – and ensure that your clients enjoy a relaxing hotel stay.

On this web page, you will find informational materials, including a list of other hotels where there is no existing dispute, recent articles about the situation, and a sample letter to the hotel. We hope that this information will assist you in planning future functions. If you would like more information, please contact Brooke Anderson at Brooke[at]workingeastbay[dot]org. Thank you for your support.

Click here for more information about the campaign for justice at the Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville.

Click here to see Let My People Work, a documentary produced in 2007 chronicling the Woodfin struggle

Click here for a timeline of the struggle for justice at the Woodfin Suites.

Selected News Coverage of the Labor Dispute over the years:

Emeryville Hotel Owes $200,000 in back wages
December 21, 2009
San Francisco Business Times

Hundreds Protest Outside Woodfin Hotel
November 17, 2008
KTVU (Fox) Channel 2