Representing the food and beverage industry employees, the union “Unite Here” stated that negotiations with hotel operators Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Hyatt Hotels have reached a deadlock, leading to approximately 10,000 American hotel workers beginning a multi-day strike across various cities in the United States on Sunday, September 1st.
This strike comes as 40,000 “Unite Here” hotel industry members in 20 cities across the United States are facing contract expirations this year. Since May of this year, these hotels have been in negotiations with “Unite Here” regarding their contracts.
The large-scale strike coincides with the Labor Day weekend in the U.S., a time when many choose to travel for an extended holiday. The union is urging travelers to cancel hotel accommodations during the strike and is requesting hotels to issue penalty-free refunds.
“Unite Here” saw a sharp decline in membership during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The union states that workers are striking to demand higher wages, more staff, and reduced workloads. The union accuses hotels of using the COVID era lockdowns as an excuse to permanently cut costs through layoffs and suspending certain services. As a result, “Unite Here” members have lost income and jobs, while those remaining in the industry endure “painful” working conditions.
The initial strike is set to last for three days, primarily affecting luxury hotels such as Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt. Earlier on Sunday, over 10,000 hotel workers in major tourist destinations like San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Honolulu, Kauai, Boston, Seattle, and Greenwich, Connecticut, went on strike.
In August, around 15,000 union members in 12 cities voted in favor of the strike. The Washington Post reported that if more workers from other cities join, this could potentially spark the largest hotel strike in U.S. history.
The strike may spread to other communities later on Sunday or Monday, including New Haven in Connecticut, Baltimore, and Oakland, California.
According to booking data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), the industry is facing a 9% increase in domestic travel over last year during the Labor Day weekend when the strike occurred.
Hilton and Hyatt stated to Reuters that they remain committed to negotiating with the union to reach a fair agreement, while Marriott did not respond to requests for comments.
Michael D’Angelo, Hyatt’s labor relations director, mentioned in a statement that Hyatt has developed contingency plans to minimize the strike’s impact on hotel operations as much as possible.
Gwen Mills, Chair of “Unite Here,” stated, “We will not accept a ‘new normal’ where hotel companies profit by cutting services to guests and reneging on commitments to workers.”
In 2023, “Unite Here” members achieved a record-breaking contract following a series of strikes in Los Angeles hotels and a 47-day strike at a Detroit casino.