Special to the Jewish week: Jewish Hotel Ethics (Supports Hotel Workers in Boycott)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/street_torah/jewish_hotel_ethics

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz

Special to the Jewish week

Hotel workers are among some of the most poor and abused laborers in America today. Over 90 percent of hotel housekeepers have reported suffered work-related pain due to the demands of the job. How can the Jewish tradition inform an authentic Jewish ethic for hotel guests?

To start, we can cultivate more gratitude. Ben Zoma used to say, “What does a good guest say? Look at how much trouble my host has taken for me” (Berakhot 58a). Hotel workers are not only some of the most overworked, vulnerable laborers in America. They are also doing holy work by creating clean spaces for others to dwell in. Hakhnasat orchim (welcoming guests) is a great mitzvah in the Jewish tradition. Why is it then that we allow hotel workers serving as hosts to remain invisible people in our society?

Spending money on a product is a vote for its producer, and one of the greatest influences we have on society is through our decisions about where to spend our money. How – besides the location, price, and accommodations – should we choose a hotel? Hotel workers very often work long days, for less than the minimum wage (let alone a living wage). These workers need protections to ensure that we follow the Torah on Peulat Sakhir (a worker’s rightful wage) and Oshek (the oppression of workers).

You can learn which hotels use unionized labor here and which do not here: http://www.hotelworkersrising.org/HotelGuide/ Ask the manager at a hotel that you’re considering staying at if they are unionized. If so, thank them. If not, let them know that you’re going to choose a different location. You can learn about the problems at the Hyatt hotels and the Jewish boycott here: http://www.justiceathyatt.org/reform_cantors_of_chicago.php

Great 20th century poskim (Jewish legal authorities) like Rav Uziel, Rav Feinstein, and Rav Kook came out strongly in support of unions and the halakhic rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Rabbi Uziel, the great Israeli Chief Rabbi, wrote “All of these (human needs) can only be achieved through unions, and thus the Torah of Israel grants a complete and legally recognized right to organize, even though this may result in a loss to employers.”

FULL story at link.

[frazzled]

1. Great resource ... thanks