The Pope’s visit to the United States is reenergizing organizations throughout our nation that advocate for the just, humane and dignified treatment of workers. The Pope’s message on income inequality, workers’ rights, migrant rights and economic justice has put the spotlight on a very real issue facing working families in Silicon Valley: the significant and growing economic disparity between those who are sharing in the prosperity of the region and those who are not.
That is why, in honor of the Pope’s visit and to promote his message, Silicon Valley Rising, along with UNITE HERE and SEIU-USWW came together to demonstrate their support for the workers who are fighting for quality jobs and fair treatment at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara and Citrix. Silicon Valley Rising and its partners joined forces to disrupt inequality by calling on the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara to stop denying its contract employees a fair process to organize and Citrix to end its contract with Universal Protection Service (UPS), one of the largest security contractors in the country that provides low paying, part-time jobs.
The technology and hospitality industries offer many of their direct employees living wages, good benefits and a high quality of life, but most people whose jobs are connected with those industries are not participating in its economic success.
The issue of economic disparity is a moral one that has a solution. Companies, like Hyatt Regency Santa Clara and Citrix, are making the conscious decision to pay their contract workers low wages, deny them benefits and limit their hours. These decisions are keeping their workers from attaining economic stability and paying for life’s basic necessities like food and shelter.
All people who work hard and play by the rules should be paid a wage that allows them to sustain their families and live with dignity.
The call to disrupt inequality does not end when the Pope returns to the Vatican. Disrupting inequality is, in fact, the only thing that will change the landscape for our region’s employees and ensure the responsible treatment of contract workers.
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