Detroit Community Members Urge Crown Plaza to Respect Workers
(Detroit, MI) – Today workers and community allies rallied outside of the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Washington Boulevard, urging the hotel to treat their workers with dignity. Over the course of four hours, hundreds of supporters pressured the hotel to do the right thing.
“I know firsthand that staff members are proud to serve Detroit visitors at this historic property, and they should be able to bargain for fair wages and safe working conditions in return,” said Christopher Bryant, a cook at Motor City Casino. “It is a shame that current workers at Crowne Plaza feel intimidated and we want them to know that they have public support.”
Workers at the former Pontchartrain Hotel location have long been organized in favor of a voice on the job, but new management has refused to show them respect.
“As a union member myself, I know that being able to bargain with my employer sets standards that improve our entire city,” said Maureen Pickar, a Midfield Concessions worker at Metro Airport. “When service workers aren’t able to speak out and provide for their families, that puts downward pressure on the standard of living for all working people. Let the workers negotiate and we will all be better off.”
The crowd at today’s rally was optimistic that their efforts will improve treatment for hotel workers and conditions in the community at large. The mood was upbeat as the crowd chanted, sang and carried signs along Washington Boulevard.
“I no longer work at this hotel, but workers here still have the right to bargain,” said Kim Garr, a banquet server MGM Grand and a former Pontchartrain Hotel employee. “When our neighbors earn a fair wage for an honest day’s work, it improves our neighborhoods. That is the only way to rebuild an economy that works for everyone, not just a few at the top.”
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