Category Archives: Action

Justice Wears No Mask

Supporting a Press conference today in front of the federal building in L A by a Network of pro-immigrant organizations, Committee for Autonomous Social Action, calling for: a stop to the inhumane kidnappings by masked enforcers, which have been shown to include “masked-unidentified-bounty-hunter” types in our immigrant communities; an end to the private-for-profit prison system; and an unmasking of how the Trump administration is using the scapegoating of immigrants to cover-up systemic economic problems (to divide our communities and movements, and to deter our potential political power).

   

At The Stop Raids Rally

With close friends today at Free David Huerta and Stop Raids Rally in L A: Ana Maria Alvarez (founding artistic director of renowned dance group Contra Tiempo; Christian Lopez (one of the leaders in organizing Pomona College dining hall workers and now an organizer with UNITE-HERE); David Pihl (one of my former Pitzer students who helped organize workers there, part of the annual spring break with the UFW, and now with the Directors Guild); Arnulfo de la Cruz (now President of SEIU Local 2015 who is carrying on the legacy of his father Roberto de la Cruz as an exemplary union leader); Jerry Ryan (who led the UFW grape boycott in Colorado and past President in local Letter Carriers Union)

ICE Out of Pomona

Supporting emergency press conference and rally protesting ICE raid at Pomona Home Depot that resulted in the detaining of over a dozen day laborers. As one worker emphasized “”We are here. We are human beings. We’re only here to support ourselves and maintain our families.”
“We know that these types of operations intend to intimidate people who are looking for an honest day’s work, not to come to the day labor corners,” said Pablo Alvarado with the National Day Labor Organizing Network.
“If you are detained, you can exercise your rights,” said Jessica Batnsal, an attorney with the National Day Labor Organizing Network. “You can refuse to answer questions, and you can ask to speak to an attorney.”
The organizers urged family members of anyone detained to call 909-361-4588.
The community groups that came together in a rapid response included the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, the National Day Labor Organizing Network, the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, the Latino and Latina Roundtable, ICE Out of Pomona, and other community-based supporters.

Request for help by Doubletree Workers

There may be an outbreak at the hotel. Workers report at least 9 coworkers have had COVID over the last few months. There are only about 30 workers in the hotel.
Workers report management has not been following COVID safety measure. They have not supplied enough PPE to workers.  Workers say that when their coworkers have gotten COVID, management had not told them or asked them to quarantine.  Housekeepers report that Management does not give them the additional time and resources that they need to properly clean and disinfect guest rooms.  Management asks house keepers to clean 15-16 rooms a day-the same number of rooms they told them to clean BEFORE the pandemic. As a result housekeepers frequently skip breaks, including meals, and report being exhausted by all the work.
The outbreak and managements’ alleged failure to protect workers and guests threatens the health of the community.  Until recently, the County was contracting with the hotel to prepare food for home bound seniors.  Several airlines from ONT airport contract with the hotel to house their flight crews.  
Workers feel all these factors have contributed to the outbreak and put their health and the guests’ health at risk.
Workers went to management several time to ask for information about sick coworkers and more time and resources to clean and disinfect guest rooms, but they feel management has not listened.
Workers filed complaints with San Bernardino and CalOSHA.
Ask #1:
Call: (909) 418-4815 ask to speak to Bassam Shahin, General Manager
Demands:
1. The hotel lower the room quota by 3 rooms, equivalent to the 90 additional minutes needed to do additional cleaning required to keep guests and coworkers safe.
2. The hotel bring back additional housekeepers to work to allow for the reduction of the room quota.
Ask #2:
Call: Zulfiquar Merchant, District Manager for Cal/OSHA, 626-239-0369
Share background of the current situation.

Demands: Inspect the COVID safety violations at the Ontario Doubletree and help protect the health of the workers and the community