On July 22, 2010, more than 1,000 hotel workers are expected to gather in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Waikiki shouting, “Hawaii’s needs, not Wall Street greed!”
At that same moment, thousands of workers in at least 15 other major cities across North America; from Toronto to Chicago and Indianapolis to Los Angeles will gather chanting similar mantras with one unified voice. "Enough is enough."
The hotel recovery is in full swing and we won’t be left behind. Workers have drawn the line in defense of our communities against the gluttonous corporations who are attempting to force workers into a permanent recession.
Why? It’s about holding Wall Street accountable and defending the quality of life we’ve all worked so hard to attain. How? Working people staying united.
As the hotel industry has grown, so have the major players who operate within it. In recent years the industry has undergone tremendous change in terms of ownership. The movers and shakers on Wall Street now effectively own Hawaii’s hotel industry. The list of owners includes some of the world’s largest private investment equity firms now under national scrutiny for bailouts and big bonuses while millions of workers remain unemployed.
Take Wall Street’s poster-child for example, Goldman Sachs. Sound familiar? Goldman Sachs is the same institution that took $10 billion in taxpayer money in the recent bailout, then paid five of their top senior executives over $183 million combined between them in 2008.
Through its own subsidiary groups, Goldman Sachs also owns the Hyatt Regency Waikiki and Waikiki Beach Marriott hotels.
People are all too familiar with the business practices of corporate executives who make decisions in faraway places about jobs they have never done themselves. Even though fear and frustration surrounding the economic health of our community exists, workers have had enough.
The future of Hawaii is at stake. We will fight to protect our jobs and defend our livelihoods. But we must also work collectively to protect our local economy and defend our community. On Thursday, July 22nd, 1,000 Hawaii hotel workers will gather in front of the Hyatt Regency Waikiki. There is a choice to be made.
Where will you be?
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