June 2 Event to Highlight Housekeeper Working Conditions

The arrest of International Monetary Fund's Dominique Strauss-Kahn for allegedly trying to rape a housekeeper in a New York City luxury hotel, along with the arrest of an Egyptian executive for also allegedly assaulting a housekeeper in a New York hotel, has energized the housekeeping community to take a public stand against sexual affronts and other abuses at work. On June 2, housekeepers across America plan to hold public events to share their stories and launch a campaign to help break the silence about routine sexual misconduct. Events involving both union (UNITE HERE) and non-union housekeepers will be held in New York, Toronto, Chicago, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix, Boston, San Antonio, and Indianapolis. According to UNITE HERE, because of the aforementioned arrests, other housekeepers now are coming forward with their own stories, which reveal a pervasive pattern of harassment.

Certainly, no worker should have to put up with sexual harrassment--housekeeper or not. But housekeepers are especially vulnerable given how they work--mostly by themselves in enclosed areas. Housekeepers' jobs are difficult enough given repetitive motion injury risks. They don't need to be worrying about sexual attacks during their work hours, whether from employees or guests.

What are you doing to help keep your housekeepers safe? Have you given them any formal training on how to protect themselves? What communication tools do you allow them to carry (phone, two-way radio)? Have you explained what they can do to reduce the likelihood of attack? Certainly keeping a cart in front of a guestroom door is a start. Not entering a room where there is a guest is a no-brainer. Working on a floor with an associate close by is also important, when possible. Have we gotten to the point where housekeepers should carry a whistle?

In an lodging establishment, green or not, housekeeper safety is critical. What are you doing to keep your housekeepers safe? Please be sure to leave your comments.