Thousands of hotel workers in several cities across the United States have gone on strike for days after contract negotiations with hotel operators Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels reached a standstill, the UNITE HERE union said Sunday.
UNITE HERE, which represents hotel, casino and airport workers across the United States and Canada, said more than 4,000 workers were on strike in San Francisco, San Jose, Boston and Greenwich. Hotel workers in several other cities are set to join the action over the weekend leading up to Labor Day in the United States on September 1.
“Strikes have also been authorized and could begin at any time” in Baltimore, Honolulu, Kauai, New Haven, Oakland, Providence and San Diego, the union said in a statement, as workers and hotel operators struggle to reach an agreement on wages and returning to work after layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thousands of hotel workers are striking over Labor Day weekend as the industry grapples with a surge in travel, with domestic travel bookings up 9% from a year ago, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Hyatt said in a statement it was disappointed by UNITE HERE’s decision to strike.
“We look forward to continuing to negotiate a fair contract that values the contributions of Hyatt employees,” said Michael D’Angelo, Hyatt’s head of labor relations.
Hyatt added that it has contingency plans in place to minimize the impact on hotel operations from a potential strike.
Marriott and Hilton did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
“We will not tolerate a ‘new normal’ where hotel companies profit by undercutting their offerings to guests and ignoring their commitments to workers,” said UNITE HERE President Gwen Mills, who is demanding a better deal.
The union is also urging travelers to cancel their stays while workers are on strike and is demanding refunds without penalty.
Workers have reported exhaustion, describing three staff members doing the work of four, leading to increased stress and poor service.
“Since COVID-19, they expect us to provide five-star service with three-star staff,” a worker at Marriott’s Palace Hotel in San Francisco told the union.
In Baltimore, hotel workers are seeking a wage increase from the current $16.20 an hour to $20 an hour.
In Boston, where hotel workers earn $28 an hour, the union is pushing for a $10 an hour wage increase over the next four years.
Contract negotiations
Hilton and Hyatt management have expressed their commitment to reaching a fair deal with the union.
The walkouts are part of broader negotiations involving 40,000 Unite Here hotel workers in 20 cities, whose contracts expire this year.
Negotiations for a new four-year contract are set to begin in May 2025.
In 2023, Unite Here won record-breaking contracts in Los Angeles and Detroit after striking.
In Honolulu, 5,000 hotel workers walked out, affecting 10,557 rooms.
The union criticized hotels for using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to cut staff and services, leading to job and income losses for workers.
AFP reported that striking workers were seen demonstrating in Boston, with more planned for Monday.
