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Who Are We?
We are the employees of the Congress Hotel: housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, restaurant & banquet servers, bartenders, room servers, laundry workers and phone operators. We are proud of our work and the years of service we’ve given to this hotel.
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My name is Jose Cabanas, but everybody calls me “Paisano.” I’ve worked as a dishwasher at the Congress for 28 years. They call me Paisano because that’s what I call all my coworkers. Paisono is Spanish for “my countryman,” but I say that to everybody, no matter what country they are from. |
 My name is Rosa Zavala. These are my kids Jennifer, 7; Jessica, 6; and Derek, 5. I have worked as a housekeeper at the Congress Hotel for 6 years to support my family. Instead of giving us a raise, the hotel CUT our wages back. The housekeeper’s wage is $8.21 per hour. At all the other union hotels in Chicago, housekeepers now make $11.05 per hour. I’m fighting for a fair wage and equality with the other hotels. |
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My name is Patricia Santos, I’m a housekeeper at the Congress Hotel. It’s my job to change the sheets and towels, vacuum the floors and sanitize the bathrooms for the guests. Its hard work, but I need to support my family. Here I am with my husband at the baby shower that my fellow strikers threw for us. I am on strike for family health care, to make sure our kids grow up healthy and strong. The Congress wants to take that away from us. How do they expect us to support our families? |
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I’m Lisa Langston. I’ve been a room attendant at the Congress Hotel for 11 years. I work hard cleaning rooms to support my self and my son. Being on strike is hard, especially in the winter months, but we can’t back down. We’re fighting for hotel workers everywhere who deserve fair wages, affordable health insurance and respect from their employers. |
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Claudia Balderas and Cornelio Rosado have been married for 18 years and both are on strike at the Congress. Claudia has worked as a housekeeper at the Congress for 19 years, and Cornelio as a banquet houseman for 24 years. They are proud of their four children. It has been hard on their family to have both parents on strike, but they’ve taught their children to stand up for what they believe. |
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NEWS |
Edwards Walks the Picket Line in Chicago
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Hotel sues city, alderman
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Congress Strikes Back
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Congress Plaza Hotel sues alderman
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Walking the Talk
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COMMENTS |
| "There were no lights on the 7th floor. It was very scarey. There was a crack in the cieling of our room a little mold in the shower." |
| 03/15/2008 |
| "The bathroom in my room could have been cleaner, and the room had thin walls. In the public bathrooms there was no soap, trash on the floor, and dirty toilets. There was poor service in the lounge, and it was understaffed. Nobody cleaned up a spill in the bar which was unsafe." |
| 03/15/2008 |
| "There was a large "dent" in the hallway entrance to room 406. The paint and plaster was peeling in the closet. " |
| 03/08/2008 |
| "The TV didn't work. Management was called and they never showed up. " |
| 03/08/2008 |
| "No ice in vending machines. No bottled water in vending machines. No lights in 6th floor hallway. " |
| 03/06/2008 |
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