Living wage protestors arrested at Marriott

Sixteen living wage advocates held a sit-in at the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel on Main Street yesterday, culminating in three arrests for trespassing.

The living wage campaign is nearing its 100th week in Charlottesville. Yesterday marked the first time that protestors were arrested since last summer, when several people were taken into custody for protesting at the Omni Hotel downtown.

According to Charlottesville police, two of the individuals arrested, Jennifer Connor and Andrew Holden, are Charlottesville residents in their 20s. Police did not release the identity of the third person arrested, who is a juvenile.

"We want to meet to make our point very directly," Holden said. "The Marriott not paying its employees a living wage is a situation of abuse."

According to Holden, the general manager came out to meet the protestors after they started chanting. The manager was not available for comment.

Connor said she was satisfied with the confrontation.

"It was a good dialogue," she said. "I told them that I want to see the roots of poverty change. What they are paying people will not help get them out of poverty."

The Marriott's general manager called police and officers arrived less than 10 minutes later, Connor said.

"The protestors were shouting and being disorderly," Charlottesville Police Sgt. M.G. Davis said. "As long as they are just protesting, that's fine. But once they invade private property and interfere with traffic, they're trespassing."

When the police warned the crowd that it would have to leave immediately or face arrest, everyone took their protest to the street except for Holden, Connor and the third individual, who were all promptly arrested.

Holden and Connor were taken to the magistrate's office and were released by the late afternoon on unsecured bond.

Holden said he is hopeful yesterday's action will help make headway with Marriott managers.

"It is possible now that we'll finally get a meeting with the Marriott Hotel," he said. "Mr. Stiffler, the owner, has refused to meet with us for two years."

The protest was organized by a Charlottesville-based political organization called "Citizens Against Global Exploitation," or C.A.G.E, that was founded last summer.

Fourth-year College students Nicholas Graber-Grace and Lamar Glover both participated in the protest.

Graber-Grace said hotels are frequent spots for protests because "they are notorious for high [employee] turnover and low wages."

He added that businesses have an economic motive to raise wages.

"Higher wages makes good economic sense, because it retains workers and lowers turnover," he said. "And by encouraging large businesses to pay a living wage, you ease wage constrictions on small businesses."

Glover said he was optimistic that the day's event would help open up negotiations.

"It sent a message that the issue can't be taken lightly," he said." And in that sense, something has been accomplished"

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