Hotel workers and supporters protested for fair pay, fair treatment and fair union negotiations outside the Providence Hilton Hotel until almost midnight on May 15. The “block party” actually a protest and boycott, last nearly two hours. Protesters were joined by Chris Hasslinger and others representing Brown University medical students, who had recently moved a planned conference out of the hotel in support of the hotel workers’ efforts.
Some hotel patrons were extremely upset by the legal, peaceful protest. Two woman, luggage in tow, decided to take their business elsewhere after talking to the picketers. One wonders how long The Procaccianti Group, the company that manages the hotel, can afford to throw money away while fighting against the rights of workers to organize and have decent lives.
This short video provides a flavor of the evening:
