On Tuesday, February 27th, Santa Monica CLUE members and workers joined together to present a letter from more than 500 CLUE members and faith leaders to the City Council demanding accountability and an investigation into retaliation and unfair labor practices at the Viceroy and Le Méridien Delfina hotels.
Before submitting the letter to the Council, Rabbi Neil Comess-Daniels told the council that “we must take our significant share of responsibility for [creating dignified and just working conditions for vulnerable workers.]”
Representatives from Church in Ocean Park, Saint Monica Catholic Church, St. Augustine By-The-Sea Episcopal Church, Temple Beth Shir Shalom, and the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Monica gathered with workers beforehand to hear worker struggles and pray for justice.
This followed a weekend of action, where Viceroy workers struck and picketed, and CLUE members joined them to make noise and show solidarity in the struggle for fair work.
In more Santa Monica news, Rev. Dr. Joanne Leslie was among the members of CLUE calling on the Hampton Inn to be accountable for safe working conditions for women, at a press conference last Thursday.
“As a clergymember, I am appalled that [women are being] terminated for bravely speaking out against sexual abuse.
“In all of our faith traditions, we follow some version of the Golden Rule. I imagine that the managers and owners of the Hampton Inn consider themselves people of faith. So they are betraying the very faith values that they promise to follow.”
She continued, “In the Christian tradition, there’s a story of Jesus meeting a hardworking Samaritan woman. At that time, women and men…Jews and Samaritans…were not to speak to each other. But Jesus gratefully accepted the water she offered. The woman accepted the hope that Jesus offered. What happened? They were in solidarity with each other. That’s what we’re here for.”
The struggles in Santa Monica continue. The city claims progressive values that promote dignity and fair working conditions for all. CLUE will continue to be vigilant in accompanying workers until those values are made real.
If you want to make a stand on the right side of justice, contact Matthew Hom ([email protected]) to learn about ongoing campaigns.
Thank you for walking this path with us and for making this work possible.
