Uniting Gay Rights and Labor for One of the Best Boycotts Around

categories: Gay Boycotts, Gay Marriage, LGBT Rights and Business, Marriage Equality

Published September 22, 2009 @ 12:52PM PT

Boycott Manchester Hotel

In January 2008, hotel owner Doug Manchester gave a whopping $125,000 to fuel an anti-gay movement in California that eventually helped organize Prop 8, the ballot initiative that stripped gays and lesbians of their right to marry in the Golden State. As a response -- as well as to draw attention to the embarrassingly bad labor conditions that certain employees working for Manchester face -- LGBT groups and labor groups united to start a boycott of two Manchester properties in San Diego. Those hotels are the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel and the Grand del Mar Resort.

Nearly two years later, this boycott has cost Manchester's properties upwards of $7 million in lost profits. And as it continues forward into its second year, two statewide California groups have come together to renew their call that as long as Manchester supports anti-gay policies and treats his employees with little to no dignity, nobody should patronize the Manchester properties.

Both the Courage Campaign and Equality California have launched SayNoToManchester.org, a Web site meant to galvanize supporters of the Boycott and call out Manchester for some shady tactics. Among those tactics is trying to buy off LGBT organizations with promises of money if they drop their boycott, and trying to divide LGBT activists from labor activists.

But the message that activists are sending is clear.

The LGBT community is united against those who fund bigotry, and we will not allow Doug Manchester to divide our movement. We will not patronize Manchester’s hotels until he makes a public apology for his $125,000 donation to ban same-sex marriage and negotiates an honest, fair resolution with boycott organizers.

A public apology for supporting discrimination. And end to bad labor practices. A commitment not to fund inequality and placate the interests of anti-gay groups who would rather see marriage discrimination instead of equal rights. Yup, that's what it will take to end this boycott. Not briefcases full of cash meant to buy off activists.

If you agree, sign Equality California's and Courage Campaign's pledge here.

(Photo courtesy of UNITE HERE.)

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Comments (7)

Doug Manchester is an intolerant conservative who has an incorrect view of LGBT rights. He's obligated to provide an official apology for his labor problems at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel and for giving over $100,000 for the intolerant Proposition 8. California's government is obligated to repeal that intolerant amendment or a ballot will. However, it's good that there are dedicated people who boycott the hotels and Doug Manchester's intolerance.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/22/2009 @ 01:38PM PT
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This just goes to show that discrimination tends to have to high a cost...Especially long term.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/23/2009 @ 05:41AM PT
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Thomas!!!! I should have known I'd find you here. You were decent enough to answer my question in another story- when others skimmed right over my question- when I asked the community right here- if "boycotts" are effective? Been trying to make that same point over on the immigration blog! Feeling pretty low lately.....see my last thread on http://immigration.change.org/blog/view/a_transition_for_immigrant_rights_on_changeorg

Don't fret over me, and I got some music for everybody, just made a you tube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkK9uO470vI

.

Posted by Gary Stein on 09/26/2009 @ 05:47AM PT
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Merry meet mr. stein.

Youll always find me here fighting for equality as well as on the women's rights blog doing the same.

Blessed be.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/26/2009 @ 06:06PM PT
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Signed.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/26/2009 @ 06:06PM PT
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Thank you Mr. McHugh, that was nice being addressed as Mr. Stein- but there's not too much action in this story is there?

Posted by Gary Stein on 09/26/2009 @ 08:14PM PT
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Nor does there seem to be much action elsewhere...

:(

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/28/2009 @ 11:30PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.