trouble | Don't get caught in a Bad Hotel

A flashmob infiltrates the Westin St. Francis hotel in San Francisco and performs an adaptation of Lady Gaga's song "Bad Romance." The event was organized to draw attention to a boycott called by the workers of the hotel who are fighting to win a fair contract and affordable healthcare. Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer activists put the song and dance together as a creative way to tell the hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ people from all over the country coming to San Francsico in June for Pride to stay out of the boycotted hotels.

Description of opening scenes: A couple go through the process of checking in to the hotel (discussing price of rooms and what is available with the room rate), mixed in with scenes of a band carrying trumpets, trombones, and other brass instruments, as well as several types of drums and tympani while walking towards the same hotel.

Caption: San Fransisco, May 8, 2010

Scene is set at the Westin St Francis

Caption: Action to support hotel workers fighting for a fair contract & affordable healthcare

[Shouting:] Wait a second honey, we can’t check in here! This hotel is under a boycott!

[Partner starts singing to the same tune as “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga:] Oh- NO! -oh oh oh - Don’t get caught in a bad hotel! Oh No! -oh-oh-oh!

[Brass band starts playing, and probably about 20 people start dancing in unison, as in the “zombie-like” dance scene in the video for Bad Romance - jerking hand movements and shuffling back and forth. The video shows the foyer of the hotel and the amused reactions of the bystanders. There are a lot of photos being taken, and video cameras are in evidence]

[Singing, loudly and off key, but with enthusiasm:] Boycott! Boycott! Workers rights are hot! Boycott Boycott! Boycott this hotel!

These workers need health care! And a fair contract! this is a bad bad hotel!

I want to party and let’s do it in drag, but not in a bad hotel!

Want San Fransisco and I want your gay ass, but not in a bad hotel!

Oh no-oh-oh-oh! Don’t get caught in a bad hotel!

Oh No! - oh-oh-oh! Don’t get caught in a bad hotel!

Boycott! Boycott! Workers rights are hot! Boycott Boycott! Boycott this hotel!

Boycott! Boycott! Workers rights are hot! Boycott Boycott! Boycott this hotel!

These workers need healthcare and a fair contract!

This is a bad, bad hotel!

I want to party and let’s do it in drag, but not in a bad hotel!

Want San Fransisco and I want your gay ass, but not in a bad hotel!

Oh no-oh-oh-oh! Don’t get caught in a bad hotel!

Oh No! - oh-oh-oh! Don’t get caught in a bad hotel!

Boycott! Boycott! Workers rights are hot! Boycott Boycott! Boycott this hotel!

Boycott! Boycott! Workers rights are hot! Boycott Boycott! Boycott this hotel!

[Shouting into megaphone:] We’re here today because this hotel is under boycott. We’re asking people not to come to this hotel. The Westin St Francis is refusing to agree to fair contract standards. The Westin St Francis is refusing to pay affordable healthcare for the employees of this hotel. They would have to pay hundreds of dollars they cannot afford. We’re asking people not to come to the Westin St Francis because this is a bad, bad hotel!

[Singing again]

Caption: Determined to win adequate healthcare for themselves and their families, hotel workers have taken the difficult step of calling for a boycott of their own workplaces. Workers have officially called for a boycott of:

Hyatt Fisherman’s Warf

Grand Hyatt

Le Meridien

The Palace

Westin St Francis

Hilton (At O’Farrell)

And the W Hotel.

More hotels are epexcted to be added to this list as the summer approaches.

[Scene changes to a picket-line outside the hotel]

[Chanting:] We’re going to boycott, we’re gonna shut it down! San Fransisco’s a Union town!

Caption: To learn more about how to honour the boycott and support the workers, visit:

www.sleepwiththerightpeople.org

www.hotelworkersrising.org/HotelGuide/boycott_list.php

[Dancing to a jazzy music number]

Caption: This event was organized by:

San Fransisco Pride at Work / HAVOQ

www.sfprideatwork.org

One Struggle One Fight

www.onestruggleonefight.org

The Brass Liberation Orchestra

www.brassliberation.org

[Picketers marching with various signs: “Queers 4 economic Justice” :When you come to Pride, you don’t want to be Caught in a Bad Hotel!”]

[Cheering]