Hyatt Boycott Spreads as Mary's Center Moves Gala

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Mary’s Center is the latest group to honor the ongoing Hyatt boycott by Unite Here. The Metro Washington Council in February endorsed the boycott. Mary’s Center moved its 25th Anniversary Gala from the Grand Hyatt hotel to the Washington Marriott Wardman Park hotel. “Mary’s Center serves many of the ‘invisible’ workers who keep the business of the District and our nation running smoothly, especially workers in the hospitality industry,” said Dr. Julie Martínez Ortega, Chair of the Mary’s Center Board of Directors and a dental patient of the Center. “By moving the gala, Mary’s Center sends a clear message that we care for workers when they are ill and will also support them when they are securing safe working conditions, for themselves and their family. We look forward to patronizing Hyatt once it has worked out the dispute with its employees.” Over 5,000 individuals and organizations, including NCLR, the NFL Players Association, the National Organization for Women (NOW), Feminist Majority, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Netroots Nation, Interfaith Worker Justice, and the Funders for LGBTQ Issues have joined the boycott.