Unions rally in support of the workers, including GLBT employees and hard working housekeepers, in fighting for their rights at Doug Manchester’s Grand Hyatt Hotel on 22 November 2008 (Photo: UNITE HERE Local 30)
Will former President Bill Clinton cross a union-sanctioned picket line to deliver a speech at Doug Manchester’s Hyatt hotel in downtown San Diego this Sunday?
Doug Manchester personally coughed up a mean $125k to jump start the Yes-on-Prop-8 campaign that eliminated marriage equality in California. That donation spurred Californians Against Hate and a coalition of California labor leaders to launch a highly successful boycott of the hotel. Manchester’s been hit hard where it counts most — his bottom line. As in $2.4 million in canceled bookings.
Reacting to news of Bill Clinton’s intention to deliver a speech at Manchester’s hotel, a coalition of GLBT activists and union leaders have an informational website up and a letter in circulation that appeals to Mr Clinton to move his speech to a less controversial location. The letter is signed by Todd Gloria, San Diego City Councilmember; Cleve Jones, founder of the Names Project/AIDS Memorial quilt; Jess Durfee, a member of the Democratic National Committee; Brigette Browning, President of UNITE HERE, local 30; Rick Jacobs, Chair of Courage Campain; Ron deHarte, Executive Director of San Diego Pride; Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate; and Lorena Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer/CEO of the San Diego Labor Council.
If you’ve been following along, you’re aware that this is a Dream Team of the heaviest hitters in California GLBT activism and our friends in organized labor. This coalition is sure to grow in the coming days as word of Mr Clinton’s planned faux pas circulates.
No one needs to be reminded of the Clinton Administration’s equivocation on GLBT rights — we’re still fighting DOMA and DADT. But are we about to witness a bona fide legend of the Democratic Party cross a union-sanctioned picket line? According to Daniel Rottenstreich, Political Director of UNITE HERE Local 30, “If President Clinton does not move this speech he will be violating a labor boycott of the Manchester Hyatt sanctioned by the San Diego Labor Council and California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.”
This coming Sunday morning, 15 February, there’ll be a rally from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Manchester Hyatt, 1 Market Place, San Diego. Join us.
I’ll post any updates or additional information as it becomes available.
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