San Francisco...Hilton Hotel protests & boycott! Blockade disrupts lobby...

Corporate giant fights tooth & nail over Health Benefits

There were dozens of unruly arrests - including that of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka - high-spirited vocal protests with a lot of sign-waving, and a crush of unionzied workers that disrupted business-as-usual in the Hotel's front lobby.

The angry boycott began with a march on congested city streets, boasted eight-hundred workers strong, and ended up a sit-down protest which blocked the front entrance to the upscale Hilton Hotel in downtown San Francisco.

Tired of waiting for exhaustive negotiations to cough up a satisfactory agreement (the previous contracts expired in August) frustrated workers took to the streets on Tuesday to vent their anger (with additional orchestrated walk-outs to follow in a bold-faced effort to get their message across to management).

They're mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore!

At issue, is a stickling benefit, which neither side appears to want to let up on.

Union reps are pushing for continued health care coverage with low co-payments which the Hotel is opposed to.

Hilton reps take the position that workers in the Bay area should help their end to cover ever-rising costs thrust on the providers in recent days due to the current economic climate around the country..

Meanwhile, tourists are a bit baffled by all the brouhaha, which has taken them by surprise.

Management admits the boycotts have hurt the industry - but - they've refused to budge.

In response, the Union asserts they are not being unreasonable under the circumstances.

In a nutshell, disgruntled union workers argue that profitable corporate Hotel chains can afford to provide the benefits.

Who's being unrealistic?

News at 11!

http://www.julianayrs.com

UCLA...cafeteria worker has cheese for brains! Sign of the times..

To have salmon or not to have salmon, that is the question...



Occasionally, I stop into the cafeteria at UCLA around lunch-time for a snack.

In view of the recent outbreak of a stomach virus at USC, one can't be too careful, so I checked out the offerings for lunch quite carefully.

At one of the server's outlets - there was an example of a lunch-plate special consisting of salmon, potatoes, vegetables, and corn on the cob - on display.

Looked scrumptious!

But, how would it be delivered up "when and if" I chose to order it?

So, I asked the middle-aged woman behind the counter - who usually trolls around the cafeteria early in the morning with a sour pout on her face looking everyone up and down with disdain - if the lunch special would look as good as it did on display when it arrived on my plate.

She plunked a piece of salmon on a plate, then asked me a question.

"Would you like potatoes with that?"

Was I missing something here?

I paused a moment.

"Toast or roll," she continued without batting an eye.

At this juncture, I politely noted that she didn't answer my question.

"No. I didn't," she replied with this dumb look on her face.

So, I waited for the response.

Nothing.

The lights were barely on, but most certainly, no one was at home.

"Aren't you going to answer my question," I politely prodded her.

"Well," she snidely remarked, "It would just be my opinion."

Whoa - Nellie!

God forbid she should be required to offer that up.

Does that cost extra?

Gee Willikers!

Yes, this screw-ball old gal - with the blank stare and burnt out aura - was working on a counter for three or four bucks an hour.

And, for some inexplicable reason, she was under the mistaken impression that she was a philosopher!

Ah, it's a sign of the times.

People are working in jobs they can't stand, displaying the worst attitudes imaginable - and to boot - are taking out their failures in life on the customer.

Give us a break.

If you hate your job, quit.

The world doesn't owe you a living, lady.