AMERICAN LABOUR-CRYSTAL CITY:

SOLIDARITY WITH FERDI LAZO:

The following appeal is from the United Students Against Sweatshops, and it concerns the efforts to organize hotels operated by HEI Hotels and Resorts. This operation seems to be a cross between a holding company and a franchise chain. No doubt there is some creative tax accounting involved as well. One thing is certain, the management of HEI is viciously anti-union and will do anything to deny their employees their rights. Here's the appeal...

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HEI Fires Union Leader Ferdi Lazo:
On Wednesday May 27, union leader Ferdi Lazo was fired from the HEI Sheraton Crystal City Hotel. Ferdi is an outspoken leader of the campaign for workplace justice who has led delegations to management, marched on picket lines, traveled to speak with students at universities invested in HEI and tirelessly stood up for his coworkers rights and dignity.

HEI workers across the country are campaigning for a fair card check neutrality process to decide whether or not to form a union. At each hotel where workers have demanded justice, HEI has laidoff or disciplined union activists. On the first day of the campaign in Northern Virginia, Ferdi was suspended without pay. After an outpouring of student and community solidarity, Ferdi was called back to work. Now he needs our support again!

Call Sheraton Crystal City General Manager, Pradeep Bobba: 703.486.1111
"Hi, my name is ________ and I am a student calling from ________. I urge you to immediately respect the rights of your hotel workers by signing a Card Check Neutrality Agreement and reinstating Ferdi Lazo! Thank you. "
Tell me more

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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to HEI management.

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Subject:I Stand With Ferdi!
Dear [ Decision Maker ],
I am deeply concerned about the recent firing of union leader Ferdi Lazo. Since 1990, Ferdi has been a hardworking, responsible employee at the Sheraton Crystal City.

Union leaders at HEI hotels across the country have been disciplined and laidoff in what appears to be a pattern. I stand with the workers who are standing up for their rights and dignity!

I demand that you sign a fair card check neutrality agreement and reinstate Ferdi now!

AMERICAN LABOUR:

JUSTICE AT THE SHERATON CRYSTAL CITY HOTEL:

The following story and appeal is from the United Students Against Sweatshops. It's an appeal for solidarity with workers in Arlington, Virginia who are being deprived of their right to unionize.

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Tell HEI to Respect Workers' Demands for Justice!:
Last Thursday, February 26, 2009, workers at the Sheraton Crystal City Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, went public with a demand that the company respect their desire for a Card Check/Neutrality Process! Just hours before the delegation, Union leader Ferdi Lazo was suspended indefinitely by HEI. One day after seeing the outpouring of support from students, local union members and the community, HEI managers asked Ferdi to report back to work the following Tuesday, but without pay for the days of his unjust suspension. While Ferdi's return to work shows the importance of community support, it also highlights the need for workers' demand of Company neutrality. Tell HEI to respect its workers' demands for justice!

Call Sheraton Crystal City General Manager, Pradeep Bobba:

703.486.1111

Hi, my name is ________ and I am a student calling from ________. I urge you to immediately respect the rights of your hotel workers by signing a Card Check Neutrality Agreement and paying Ferdi Lazo backpay for the days he was unjustly suspended! Thank you.

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THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send an email to the Sheraton management.

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Send a letter to the following decision maker(s):

Mr. Bert Lazar

Mr. Gary Mendell

Mr. Pradeep Bobba

Mr. Tim Connolly

Sheraton Crystal City Management
Below is the sample letter:
Subject: Respect Your Workers' Demands for Justice!
Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],
I am encouraged to see that you have corrected your unjust suspension of Ferdi Lazo by putting him back to work this week. However, the fact that he was suspended the very same day as the workers' first public delegation to demand a for a fair and democratic process for deciding whether to form a union, without management interference is highly suspicious and concerning to me. Combined with similarly suspicious lay offs and discipline of Union Activists in HEI's Hilton Long Beach and Le Meridien hotels, Ferdi's suspension indicates a pattern of harassment of Union activists and leaders. This pattern highlights the need for HEI to affirmatively pledge it's neutrality by signing a card check/neutrality agreement.

I demand that you immediately respect Ferdi Lazo and his coworkers' right to organize. Pay Ferdi for the four days of work that he missed! Sign the card check neutrality agreement that the workers have demanded!
Sincerely,