I work right around the corner from the Hyatt on Rue de Lafayette in downtown Boston.
Said Hyatt recently laid off its entire housekeeping staff in order to outsource the work to a contractor that pays minimum wage. Here's the article with the details.
My late wife Kirsten Shanks worked in a program at the International Institute of Boston that trained immigrants and refugees for hotel industry jobs because hotel jobs are some of the few jobs that pay a living wage to people with minimal education. Housekeepers generally are expected to clean 16 rooms in an 8-hour shift. Before starting work, they have to demonstrate that they can lift 40 pounds because that's how much their bundles of bedding can weigh. (When staying in a hotel, please tip your housekeepers 5 bucks a night.They work hard for the money.)
When I ride past this hotel in the afternoon, I frequently see those big rock star tour buses parked outside.
My request to all of my rock star readers is this: when you come to play a concert in Boston, please stay at a hotel other than the Hyatt, which is run by douchebags trying to deprive hardworking people of a decent standard of living.
Thanks, rock stars!
