HEI Hotel Workers and Supporters Blow the Whistle on HEI's Mistreatment!

Investor meeting protest on May 11, 2011

Nationwide, HEI workers and supporters are protesting mistreatment of HEI workers! As a result of HEI's cost-cutting business strategy, HEI workers struggle daily with damaging workloads and shortages of supplies. Adding injury to insult, HEI takes punishing actions against workers who speak up about these unfair working conditions.

Here is what has happened recently to HEI workers who spoke up:

On April 20, 2011, the HEI-owned Long Beach Hilton fired five housekeepers after three of them raised concerns with management about unfair working conditions at the hotel. Some of the fired housekeepers had also recently participated in an ongoing State investigation into the legality of their employment arrangements. "I answered questions from State investigators about how the hotel paid us for our work. I also told the human resources director about the mistreatment of agency housekeepers. Two days after that, I was fired." - Maria Medina, Fired from HEI-owned Long Beach

On May 11, 2011, students from six different universities and Larry Butler, a doorman at the HEI Crystal City Sheraton went to HEI's annual investors meeting to present a worker's view of HEI's business approach. Although Larry was on his day off when he went to New Jersey, he was interrogated at work later about his involvement in the meeting. His managers gave him a verbal warning for "interrupting a company meeting." He continues to fight today for dignity in his workplace and the ability to use his voice at work and on his days off.

On March 30, 2011, a Massachusetts jury ruled that former Senior Vice President Larry Trainor was retaliated against by HEI for filing a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination for age discrimination. Trainor was awarded $4.5 million in damages.

If HEI retaliates against their senior executives this way, can you imagine how they treat room cleaners, bellmen, cooks, and other hotel staff who stand up for their rights?

Tell Gary Mendell, CEO of HEI Hotels and Resorts, that you won't stand for continued retaliation against workers who speak up about unfair working conditions!

Subject:

Your Letter:

Gary Mendell

HEI Hotels and Resorts

For more information, visit www.heiworkersrising.org.

Help spread the word by sharing this action on Facebook.

Emails are good, and calls are even better!

Tell HEI CEO Gary Mendell that you won’t stand for mistreatment of HEI workers!
Call:

Gary Mendell, CEO, HEI Hotels and Resorts
203-849-2214 (direct line)
(If they start blocking calls to his line, call 203-849-8844 and ask to speak with him.)

A suggested rap for your call is here:

Hi Mr. Mendell, I am ___________, (If you are returning to school or are an alum of a college/university, tell him “a current student at” or “an alumni of” which university or college. This is important since they get their money to invest in more hotels from university endowments).

I am calling because I am angry about the way HEI treats workers who speak up about unfair working conditions. I know that HEI managers fired housekeepers in Long Beach who raised concerns about their working conditions. I know that a worker was interrogated and verbally disciplined for speaking up at your annual investors meeting. I also know that a jury in Massachusetts ruled that you retaliated against a senior executive who filed a complaint for age discrimination and awarded him millions in damages.

I am a part of a growing movement in support of HEI workers’ fight for fairness – and I won’t stand for continued retaliation against HEI workers who are asking for a fair treatment!