UNITE HERE launched a five-day hunger strike on Friday in support of nine immigrant hotel workers who are being laid off from the Hilton Mission Valley in San Diego. The hunger strike goes through 12 p.m. on Tuesday. 

More than 100 workers at the Hilton Mission Valley have been trying to organize and join UNITE HERE Local 30 for several years. The workers say they are barely paid above minimum wage levels, have to pay excessive health insurance costs, are forced to endure excessive workloads and are forced to work off the clock.  The hotel's owner, HEI, recently sold the property to Tarsadia Investments and sought to fire the workers. UNITE HERE led a campaign to prevent the layoffs, but the owner then ran the employees through E-Verify and identified nine workers it plans to fire by Tuesday. 

Maria Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, visited the protest: "I just left the hunger strikers and many supporters, from janitors and UFCW to AFSCME UDW.  I was greatly inspired! It was a real shot in the arm!"

Those interested in supporting the hotel workers can sign a petition, directed at Hilton Mission Valley managers and sponsored by UNITE HERE.