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Subject: Problem with 2009 Annual Meeting Hotel--and Action Steps
*** Please forward to colleagues throughout AERA ***
February 16, 2009
Dear AERA Colleagues:
AERA has made many important strides towards advancing social justice
and educational change, and in the spirit of supporting even greater
strides, we call on all AERA members to join us in strengthening
AERA's resolve to address the injustices made visible by our 2009
Annual Meeting in San Diego. Please visit
http://reformingaera.homestead.com <http://reformingaera.homestead.com/>
to learn more about problems with
one of the conference hotels of the 2009 AERA Annual Meeting, as well
as actions that each of us can take to address these problems.
BACKGROUND: On October 17th, AERA president McDonnell and executive
director Levine sent an email to all AERA members describing a
problem with the main conference site hotel for the 2009 Annual
Meeting. As the authors noted, one problem revolves around the
actions of the Hyatt owner Manchester in support of California
Proposition 8. However, that's only part of the story: A second and
longer-term problem exists regarding the labor conditions at the
hotel, especially workload and job security. For these reasons, on
July 10, 2008, the labor union UNITE HERE, together with the San
Diego Central Labor Council, called for a full boycott of this hotel.
This boycott has also been sanctioned by the California Labor
Federation, AFL-CIO.
LABOR DISPUTE?: On December 17th, AERA executive director Levine sent
an email update to a smaller group of AERA members who were concerned
about these issues, which reasserted that the problems involving the
Manchester Hyatt do not involve a labor dispute. The letter affirmed
that AERA's hotel contracts include a clause that allows for contract
termination should there be a "labor dispute," and according to the
definition in the contract, a "labor dispute" is not occurring at the
Manchester Hyatt. However, there do exist problems between labor and
management at the Manchester Hyatt, particularly around workload and
job security. Consequently, the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO,
and the San Diego Central Labor Council has sanctioned a consumer
boycott of this hotel. Picket lines and other forms of public
demonstrations have occurred and will continue to occur outside the
hotel (including as recently as February 15, 2009, when over 200
gathered to protest former President Clinton who was scheduled to
speak at the hotel). According to the boycott organizer, the UNITE
HERE Local 30 is not merely trying to unionize the laborers; rather,
the union is working in solidarity with workers who do not have union
protection at their jobs for such actions as these.
PROBLEM: Although AERA has taken important steps to relocate many
sessions out of the Manchester Hyatt and into other venues, some
sessions remain in the Hyatt. AERA members might have to cross
pickets lines if they need or simply wish to attend these sessions.
Will AERA cross a picket line, or join in solidarity with labor and
justice?
For more information, including action steps and ways to join
together for progress and reform, please visit
http://reformingaera.homestead.com <http://reformingaera.homestead.com/>
.
Organized by Concerned Members of AERA
***
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