Reacting to a public outcry over the cruel and abrupt firing of about 100 housekeepers at Hyatt hotels in Boston, Gov. Deval Patrick called Hyatt's CEO to ask that the decision be reconsidered.
Hyatt's reply: "No, and don't bother us anymore."
Here is the astonishingly arrogant and mendacious statement issued by Hyatt after the Governor's phone call. It's worth quoting in full:
"Statement Regarding Boston Hotel Housekeeping Staff - 9.18.09
At Hyatt, we value and respect all our associates, care about the communities in which we operate
and deeply regret whenever staff reductions are necessary. The difficult decision to outsource the
housekeeping function at our Boston properties was made in response to the unprecedented
economic challenges those hotels are facing in the current business environment. It was not made
lightly.
A precipitous drop in revenues at our Boston hotels has made major cost cutting measures
necessary. The decision to outsource the housekeeping function is the most recent in a long series
of efforts to control costs. We have eliminated management positions at all three hotels, reduced
staff in multiple departments and made significant cuts in sales, marketing and administrative
budgets.
Though the business downturn has necessitated difficult decisions for us as it has for so many other
employers, Hyatt always strives to treat its employees with care and consideration. Despite what
has been reported, the hotels in Boston have treated their housekeepers with fairness and dignity.
Press reports suggesting that we “tricked our associates into training their replacements” are
absolutely false. The transition to contract housekeeping services was not sudden and secretive. In
fact, the company providing housekeeping services to our Boston Hotels – Hospitality Staffing
Solutions (HSS) – has been working with two of the three hotels for more than three years, with
Hyatt and HSS employees working side‐by‐side every day. When the properties completed the
transition to all contract personnel in housekeeping on August 31 approximately half of the
housekeeping staff at two of the three Boston Hyatt Hotels were HSS employees.
We are providing resources and support to assist employees who have lost their jobs as they seek
new employment.
o The housekeepers were invited to apply for open positions at the three hotels, however
there are very few positions available due to economic conditions. They will continue
to be welcome to apply for jobs at Hyatt hotels as positions become available.
o We worked with local hotels and provided each housekeeper with current job openings.
o We provided them with an Employee Assistance helpline, assisted them with benefit
transition paperwork.
o We provided severance benefits.
Because we have a longstanding relationship with HSS, we’re confident that HSS personnel working
according to Hyatt standards can provide Hyatt‐quality housekeeping services. The savings realized from
these arrangements contribute significantly to the financial stability of our properties, which allows us to
continue to provide services to our guests and enables Hyatt properties to continue to be major
employers in the Boston area.
The HSS employees serving our properties in Boston are living in the area. They are not from outside of
the community. So the notion that jobs were exported to somewhere outside of Boston is inaccurate.
Contrary to published reports, HSS does offer a wide range of benefits to its employees.
Hyatt properties continue to be significant employers in Massachusetts with approximately 600
employees."
I guess we should expect this sort of attitude toward the fired housekeepers and the bleeding-heart public that doesn't understand how Hyatt conducts it business, but why the calculated insult to the Governor?