Boston union workers rally over layoffs
Hundreds of angry union workers marched through downtown Boston yesterday to protest recent layoffs at the Hyatt Hotel and planned cutbacks at other firms including Verizon.
Saying they won’t tolerate a “jobless recovery,” union members rallied first on Boston Common near the State House, then marched to the Verizon building in Post Office Square - and then they ducked backed into the Downtown Crossing area to the Hyatt, which recently fired dozens of non-union housekeepers in favor of lower-paid subcontracted employees.
“People are loud and people are angry,” said Rand Wilson, of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2222.
About 80 unions were involved in the rally and march, which were planned weeks ago. The union event picked up steam and passion due to recent labor disputes at Hyatt and Verizon.
“It’s symbolic of the concerns of all workers,” said Wilson.
Hyatt has come under heavy fire for axing 98 housekeepers and replacing them with lower-wage workers. The hotel chain later offered the ousted cleaners jobs with a staffing agency, but the housekeepers say they want their old jobs back.
Meanwhile at the State House yesterday, Republicans blocked a move by three Senate Democrats - Anthony Galluccio (D-Cambridge), Jack Hart (D-South Boston) and Anthony Petruccelli (D-East Boston) - to pass a resolution urging a boycott of Hyatt.
Around 7:30 p.m., after a caller reported a stolen truck loaded with gasoline was enroute to the Hyatt, a police bomb squad investigated a truck in the hotel’s parking garage. The bomb squad later left the scene. It was unclear whether they found anything suspicious.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/business/general/view.bg?articleid=1201633
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