Over 150 Attend Hotel Worker Appreciation Dinner; County and City Make Strong Proclamations in Favor of Hotel Workers

Over 150 people attended the Workers’ Center first ever Hotel Worker Appreciation Dinner in an astounding show of support for our County’s hotel workers.

Speakers included:

–former hotel workers, Joan Keyser and Mary Loehr

–Acting Mayor for the City of Ithaca, Dan Cogan

–County Legislator Kathy Luz Herrera

–United Auto Workers’ President Terry Sharpe

The City of Ithaca and Tompkins County both made proclamations honoring the day as Hotel Worker Appreciation Day.

The text of the City Proclamation is as follows:

WHEREAS, the tourism industry is one of the key drivers of the Ithaca economy, and

WHEREAS, the tourism and hotel industries depend on the services and hard work of many hotel and tourism industry employees, including housekeepers, restaurant workers, maintenance staff and others, and

WHEREAS, hotel workers work conscientiously to provide a pleasant stay in hotels, motels and Bed and Breakfast’s for tourists and other visitors, yet are often an invisible presence, and

WHEREAS, hotel work is often very difficult and sometimes hazardous, and

WHEREAS, hotel work is very demanding, requiring great attention to detail,and

WHEREAS, many hotel workers do not earn a living wage, and

WHEREAS hotel workers provide thousands of hours of work each year to hundreds of thousands of tourists, and thereby help our tourism industry to succeed, bringing great benefit to the community

WHEREAS, the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, the community at large, and other organizations in this community are sponsoring activities in recognition of the contributions of hotel workers,

NOW THEREFORE, I, Dan Cogan, Acting Mayor of the City of Ithaca, do hereby proclaim April 30, 2008, as

HOTEL WORKER APPRECIATION DAY IN THE CITY OF ITHACA

and urge citizens of this community to honor and celebrate this special event.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause to be affixed the great seal of the City of Ithaca this 30th day of April, 2008.