Former Four Seasons workers who came together to fight for a full severance package after getting laid off because of the coronavirus shutdown are celebrating a “victory” against the luxury hotel.
The 192 employees who were laid off — about half of the Four Seasons’ staff — will receive a full severance package after initially learning the severance was going to be below what they had expected.
“A lot of them were hurt after working so hard for the company for so many years,” Karen Chen from the Chinese Progressive Association told the Herald on Sunday.
“The workers came together and responded together to make this victory possible,” she said.
In May, nearly 200 Four Seasons workers were laid off as a result of the crippling economic impact of the coronavirus crisis. The notice they later received informed Four Seasons workers that their severance was below what they had expected from what it had said in the company handbook.
More than 40 of the workers reached out to UNITE HERE Local 26 and Chinese Progressive Association for support. Shortly after, workers sent their response to the Four Seasons, along with their photos.
“Initially Four Seasons didn’t respond, but then workers started speaking out about their experiences and how this has impacted them,” Chen said. “It was a real effort for racial equity, a true multiracial solidarity effort and a community and labor partnership.”
Earlier this month, the hotel reversed its decision to not pay in full the severance packages.
The Four Seasons could not be immediately reached for comment on Sunday.
“It’s really significant for a lot of them who are under a lot of distress right now,” Chen said. “They’re not sure what they will return to, even with the economy reopening.”
The American Hotel & Lodging Association estimates 17,847 of the roughly 32,000 hotel jobs in Massachusetts have been lost as result of the coronavirus pandemic. Among hotel layoffs reported in June are 548 at the Sheraton Boston, 543 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, 348 at the Westin Copley Place Hotel and 249 at Boston Marriott Wharf.
On Monday, former Four Seasons workers will speak out about their experience at a community briefing on Zoom.
In a letter to former workers that WCVB TV Channel 5 reported, the Four Seasons wrote, “The concerns raised by some of your former colleagues have given all of us much to reflect on. In large part thanks to their efforts, they have reminded us that, notwithstanding the circumstances, we have a duty to honor — with respect and professionalism — our people and their long-standing service and loyalty to the hotel. To the extent that we recently failed to meet that standard, we are sincerely sorry.”
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June 29, 2020 at 07:26AM
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Laid off Four Seasons workers to receive full severance package amid coronavirus crisis - Boston Herald
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