2009 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon 2009

If you are considering participating in the upcoming Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco, take note. A situation at the event hotel location requires your immediate attention. On February 24th, workers at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf along with 700 supporters announced their call for a boycott of their hotel. During the boycott, hotel customers are asked not to sleep, eat, or meet at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf hotel until the workers call off the boycott.

Workers at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf are seeking respect for their choice to decide whether to have union representation through a majority sign-up process. Workers at many other San Francisco hotels, including the InterContinental and St. Regis hotels, have been able to use the majority sign-up process to choose whether to have a union. Even the Hyatt Corporation has adopted this procedure for all hotels they open in the future. Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf workers want the same respect and equality that other Hyatt workers have in the city and county of San Francisco and San Mateo. Elected officials including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Board of Supervisor President David Chiu, 50 community organizations, over 200 community and religious leaders, and over 1,000 individuals have already endorsed this boycott and pledged to not eat, sleep, or meet at this hotel.

IMG has repeatedly been informed of the labor dispute at the hotel through letters, emails and phone calls. Since June of 2008, assistance has been readily available to IMG to help them prepare and protect themselves from any escalation that might have occurred. Despite this, IMG has yet to take the proactive steps needed to address its role as an active customer of the Hyatt and are in danger of violating the boycott. Additionally, IMG has neglected its responsibility to inform you, the sponsors, vendors, and participants of the event, of the labor dispute and the possible impact that violating a boycott might have on the event and your collective reputations.

San Francisco has a strong union tradition and in the past labor dispute actions have taken the form of leaflets, marches, rallies, demonstrations, picket lines, and early morning bull horning actions. This serious and uncertain situation may continue to escalate. Event relocation is the only way to ensure that the Triathlon will not be marred by any labor dispute related disruptions.

Please contact IMG for information on its decision to violate the boycott that is putting your good name at risk. Urge it to honor the boycott so the Triathlon can commence disturbance free. Also, feel free to contact me directly for more information.

Sincerely,

Matthew Edwards
Boycott Coordinator, UNITE HERE Local 2
Office: 415 864 8770 x 759
Fax: 415 864 4158
medwards@unitehere.org
www.unitehere2.org