"[Marriott will] end business ties with the Republic of Myanmar," hotel chain executives revealed in a recent letter to the AFL-CIO. "We persuaded the [hotel] owner's representative to allow us to terminate the management agreement. We removed the Renaissance brand flags so that neither hotel is operated under one of Marriott's brand names." HERE conceded it is pleased with the hotel company's decision, but is eager for it to take on the issue of international human rights. HERE, which holds shares in Marriott, filed a shareholder proposal that would incorporate a company law for workplace code of conduct.

"Marriott has now informed us that the company will end all business ties with Burma, but working people investing in the hotel company want to be assured that their investment does not prop up a military regime, which disregards human rights," AFL-CIO's Bill Patterson says. "We urge the company to adopt a global labor standard that respects basic human rights in all countries."