Showing solidarity with striking workers
October 8, 2018 1:56 PM Subscribe
I'm planning to attend a conference that's currently scheduled to take place at a hotel where the workers are on strike. What should I do?
This was a last-minute opportunity I got because the person who originally registered for the conference quit their job and transferred the registration to me. I just found out about the strike.
I don't want my employer (a local nonprofit organization) to lose the nonrefundable conference registration fee or my airfare - but I don't feel great about crossing the picket line to stay in the hotel. I support the workers and want them to get a living wage.
The conference is taking place in San Francisco beginning the day after tomorrow, so I don't have a lot of time to find other accommodations. It's also unclear whether the actual conference location will change or not: they are supposed to announce the plans tomorrow afternoon. If I'm going to cancel the hotel room, I'll need to do so by tomorrow morning when I meet with my supervisor since it's on his company credit card.
Should I ask my supervisor about changing hotels? See if there's a way to donate to the workers? What can I expect if I do cross the picket line?
This was a last-minute opportunity I got because the person who originally registered for the conference quit their job and transferred the registration to me. I just found out about the strike.
I don't want my employer (a local nonprofit organization) to lose the nonrefundable conference registration fee or my airfare - but I don't feel great about crossing the picket line to stay in the hotel. I support the workers and want them to get a living wage.
The conference is taking place in San Francisco beginning the day after tomorrow, so I don't have a lot of time to find other accommodations. It's also unclear whether the actual conference location will change or not: they are supposed to announce the plans tomorrow afternoon. If I'm going to cancel the hotel room, I'll need to do so by tomorrow morning when I meet with my supervisor since it's on his company credit card.
Should I ask my supervisor about changing hotels? See if there's a way to donate to the workers? What can I expect if I do cross the picket line?
Best answer: Here’s the SF Labor Council’s strike fund
posted by mollymayhem at 2:11 PM on October 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by mollymayhem at 2:11 PM on October 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
Marriott merged with another major hotel chain (Wyndham, I think?), and having just left a conference at Moscone I can tell you that the strike is going on at most of the nearby hotels - it’s >15 hotel brands. The strikers are loud but polite, and in very specific locations outside the hotel.
I don’t cross picket lines, myself. I would cancel my reservation and rebook elsewhere. I skipped or moved conference-associated meetings that were meant to happen at Marriott restaurants, etc.
I stayed at The Marker for my conference. It was nice, and about a 15 minute walk from Moscone. For my conference it had the same price as Marriott properties.
posted by amelioration at 2:17 PM on October 8, 2018 [9 favorites]
I don’t cross picket lines, myself. I would cancel my reservation and rebook elsewhere. I skipped or moved conference-associated meetings that were meant to happen at Marriott restaurants, etc.
I stayed at The Marker for my conference. It was nice, and about a 15 minute walk from Moscone. For my conference it had the same price as Marriott properties.
posted by amelioration at 2:17 PM on October 8, 2018 [9 favorites]
pick up water, soda, coffee for picketers, but the best thing is to not cross a picket line.
posted by theora55 at 3:19 PM on October 8, 2018 [8 favorites]
posted by theora55 at 3:19 PM on October 8, 2018 [8 favorites]
Best answer: Don't cross the picket line. Tell your supervisor why you're changing hotels. (I wouldn't necessarily recommend this if you were in private industry, but at a non-profit not funded by Kochs, you ought to be able to.) If you're calling to cancel, tell them why you're cancelling. This is what solidarity means. It's uncomfortable. It's necessary.
posted by praemunire at 3:52 PM on October 8, 2018 [23 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 3:52 PM on October 8, 2018 [23 favorites]
You can’t reasonably claim to show solidarity with striking workers AND cross their picket line.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 4:51 PM on October 8, 2018 [17 favorites]
posted by ActingTheGoat at 4:51 PM on October 8, 2018 [17 favorites]
Best answer: Yeah. As a union member, the way you show solidarity with striking workers is to refuse to cross the picket line. If you want to go above and beyond that, that’s great - but that is what is being asked for. Ask your supervisor about changing hotels - as a nonprofit, say you hope they would understand.
The more people honor picket lines the sooner these workers can get back to work and feed their families again.
posted by corb at 10:50 PM on October 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
The more people honor picket lines the sooner these workers can get back to work and feed their families again.
posted by corb at 10:50 PM on October 8, 2018 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks y'all, I booked a different hotel from this labor-friendly list that may be handy for anyone else facing a similar situation.
posted by torridly at 7:32 AM on October 9, 2018 [12 favorites]
posted by torridly at 7:32 AM on October 9, 2018 [12 favorites]
Hooray! Glad to hear it! You are a fucking Rockstar and I am super proud of you!
If and only if you have the time and spoons to do so, sending off a quick email to Unite Here contacts (rgumpert [at] unitehere [dot] org is one) to say that you did the thing would definitely give them great happy feels of solidarity! But you have done the most important thing and I thank you.
posted by corb at 10:41 AM on October 9, 2018
If and only if you have the time and spoons to do so, sending off a quick email to Unite Here contacts (rgumpert [at] unitehere [dot] org is one) to say that you did the thing would definitely give them great happy feels of solidarity! But you have done the most important thing and I thank you.
posted by corb at 10:41 AM on October 9, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
As for the strike itself, the picket lines are loud and quite visible, but from what I've seen I don't think the strikers are doing anything to physically impede or otherwise discourage people from entering.
posted by eugenen at 2:04 PM on October 8, 2018