Striking hotel workers in Boston. (Kim Tunnicliffe/WBZ NewsRadio 1030)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- The president of Boston's Unite Here Local 26 hotel and food service union isn't happy that the New York Yankees crossed a picket line to stay at the Ritz Carlton Thursday. Brian Lang told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker the Bronx Bombers disrespected working people.
"In a sense, we're standing up for all working people, and the Yankees come into town and they spit on us," Lang said. "They spit on us by disrespecting working people who are standing up for better lives ... To us, that's an insult not just to the hotel workers, but to all Red Sox fans."
Some 1,500 members of Local 26 have been walking picket lines outside Marriot-controlled hotels for the past few days.
"Our members at the Ritz and six other hotels are standing up and are simply saying, one job should be enough to live and work and raise a family, and to retire with dignity, in and around Boston," Lang said.
Lang said the MLB Player's Union has condemned the crossing of the picket line. The union also represents cooks, servers, and other workers at Fenway Park--however, those workers are not part of this strike against Marriot.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker (@radiobenparker) reports