The Woodfin Suites hotel workers recently won a major victory after seven months of struggle. The Emeryville, Calif., city
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For some of the 50 affected Woodfin hotel workers, the city’s decision means over $10,000 in back pay—a much-needed paycheck. Woodfin claims it will appeal the decision.
Woodfin had been fighting the living wage law since before it passed. Then Woodfin fired workers who were organizing to enforce the measure, claiming they were undocumented.
The city then ordered Woodfin to reinstate the workers, but hotel officials claimed the firings were justified by an April immigration audit by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The San Francisco Bay Guardian just revealed a political corruption scandal surrounding the firing of the hotel workers. Woodfin’s president, Samuel Hardage, got his friend U.S. Rep. Brian Billbray (R-Calif.) to call ICE and request an audit of the Woodfin hotel. Hardage wanted to fire the workers who were organizing for a living wage. The audit was in violation of ICE policy that disallows interference with labor disputes.
The hotel workers have courageously stood up against Woodfin’s greedy owners for more than seven months, often facing racist harassment from paid right-wing thugs that the hotel hires to intimidate those on the picket line.
Paid Woodfin hacks even have passed out leaflets in front of the hotel in an attempt to discredit the workers. The leaflets promote Woodfin’s bogus claim that the living wage measure is unconstitutional and contradicts federal immigration law.
The workers are closer than ever to victory. Continued community support is key to winning this struggle—a struggle that will benefit all workers who are fighting for justice and a living wage.
