Strike

["Charles Brown" <CharlesB@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

STRIKE SUPPORT NEEDED (M-F 7am-7pm, S&S 10am-6pm)

apologies for cross posts   - please circulate/forward/post

Sister and Brothers,
    The fight at the Travelodge Airport Hotel in Toronto continues and
we need your help. After 2 weeks of being locked out by the company, the
workers are now on strike. This is truly a David and Goliath story in
which the workers, who are primarily women from the Portugal and the
Caribbean have been braving the elements, hostile customers and
management's intimidation tactics.
    The workers have been struggling for a year to try and obtain a
first contract. They are brilliant women who are incredibly brave and
committed to securing a better future for themselves, their families and
especially their children. They are demanding basic rights and working
conditions such as family benefits, a living wage, a secure job and a
full days pay for a full days work.
    In response the company locked them out, brought in scabs and hired
a high priced security and private investigation firm to try and get an
injunction against us. They have threatened to sue the union over
trademark infringement and copyright violations as we altered their logo
to read travestylodge and troublelodge on various documents.
    The company (Royal Host) is making impressive profits and have
clearly conveyed to the workers that it's not about money but it's about
avoiding a precedent, one which will elevate the bar and cause some of
their other properties to demand similar rights and benefits.
    Below is a message from the workers of the Travelodge.

Fighting For Our Children

We are fifty-five workers at the Travelodge Airport Hotel who are
struggling for a decent future for ourselves, our families * and
especially our children.

We have been locked-out by our employer, Royal Host of Calgary, for over
2 weeks and we are now out on strike.  Why?*because we dared to stand up
for what we and our families deserve.

· Family benefits:  The employer should pay the full cost of a decent
family benefit plan.  Thousands of other Toronto hotel workers already
receive this.  Instead the company insists on their private plan, for
which they make us pay.

· A living wage:  Travelodge workers deserve more than poverty wages in
order to support our children.

· A secure job:  We deserve to work without the threat of outside
workers replacing us, at the whim of Royal Host of Calgary.

· A full days work and a full days pay:  We should be paid for the eight
hours of good work we provide the customers of the hotel, not by "piece
work" (i.e. 2.14 rooms per hour for room attendants).

This is what we deserve! We will continue!  We will win a better life
for ourselves, for our families and*.for our children!

 for more information please contact bill fitzpatrick at the above email
address or at 416-216-0875 or toll free at 1-888-229-9983