Hyatt Apologizes for Turning Heat Lamps on Strikers

In our Heat wave news roundup yesterday we linked to a WBEZ story about employees at the Park Hyatt who had heat lamps turned on over them as they were picketing during a one-day strike. Hyatt apologized this morning for that dick move, saying in a statement that the decision to turn on the heat lamps at 7 a.m. (with the mercury at 83 degrees and rising) was the decision of a Hyatt manager and was "clearly a decision that was not in line with our values or with our corporate policies."

The workers, represented by Unite Here! staged the strike over an obstacle in their long-running negotiations with Hyatt over the hotel giant's ability to outsource work to nonunion firms. Hyatt agreed a few months back to match wage and benefit demand with Unite Here!, but workers feel it's a moot point if Hyatt can move some of their work over to nonunion companies. Workers are also demanding lesser housekeeping workloads, which the union has been chronicling.

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By Chuck Sudo in News on July 22, 2011 9:12 AM

Comments [rss]

Nicholas

I just read that Hyatt has fired the Manager who turned up the heat lamps. Gee, maybe he feels he has been wronged by his employer and unjustly fired. Maybe he could file a grievance. Is there a Union for assholes?

alizafrabs

Wowwwwww.

Nicholas

Total scumbag move, there Hyatt. Whether you support Unions or not, this was a shitty thing to do. I will not voluntarily stay at a Hyatt from now on. The "manager" responsible for this stunt may have thought it was a clever move to make people uncomfortable. But, it shows a total disregard for the fact that the workers are people. They may disagree on labor issues, hence the reason for the picket line, but that is no excuse for such degrading treatment. Are we really going back to the era of siccing strike-busting goons on workers who are protesting for better treatment?

Navin_Johnson

It's funny, today they do what they can "heat lamps" and in the old days it would have been guns and clubs. If anything it's a good testament to why labor is so crucial to keeping abusive companies in check.

JayP123

Completely hilarious move there, Hyatt. Anybody who has seen the Park Hyatt downtown knows that there are hundreds of feet of building front where the union members could stage a protest, over a third of which faces the highly-tourist trafficked historic Water Tower. But no, they chose to picket the main door, under the heat lamps, and showing a total disregard for the people they'd be wanting tips from were they on the job.

"But they're being douches back!" is a losing argument.

Navin_Johnson

That's usually how picket lines work professor....

BlueFairlane

So I wonder what Hyatt's customers thought about having to walk through those heat lamps to patronize their hotel? Way for Hyatt to show a total disregard for the people they'd be wanting to charge way too much for a room.

Kevin_Robinson

I'll stay at a Hyatt - provided it's unionized in a city where that's an option, and provided that the workers aren't on strike.

ChicagoD

Well, at minimum the manager probably needs to be fired. I am not sure this incident alone keeps me from staying at a Hyatt, but there needs to be a consequence for the manager, and probably the local hotel management.

Nicholas

I think it is indicative of an overall lack of respect for workers and unions. Labor negotiations can be unpleasant, but Hyatt needs to know where the line is.

ChicagoD

The action clearly was indicative of a lack of respect. Hyatt does need know where the line is. The only point of disagreement we have is whether to impute this action to the entire corporation, or to have localized consequences.