Thousands of US hotel workers strike as contract negotiations stall

Source: Reuters

September 1, 2024 12:17 PM EDT Updated an hour ago


NEW YORK, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Some 10,000 U.S. hotel workers began a multi-day strike in several cities on Sunday after contract talks with hotel operators Marriott International (MAR.O), opens new tab, Hilton Worldwide (HLT.N), opens new tab, and Hyatt Hotels (H.N) reached an impasse, the Unite Here union said.

Unite Here, which represents workers in hotels, casinos, and airports across the United States and Canada, said thousands of workers at 25 hotels are on strike in some major travel destinations including San Francisco and San Diego in California, Hawaii's capital city Honolulu, Boston, Seattle, and Greenwich, Connecticut, with workers from additional cities ready to join the walkout as the Labor Day holiday weekend continues.

The strike is taking place with the industry facing a 9% increase in Labor Day weekend domestic travel compared to last year, according to AAA booking data. "Strikes have also been authorized and could begin at any time" in Baltimore, New Haven, Oakland, and Providence, the union said in a statement, as hotel workers and operators struggle to agree on wages and on reversing pandemic-era job cuts.

Hotel workers are being stretched thin, according to the union, with management frequently assigning three staff members to do the job of four. This leads to undue stress and a focus on speed over service. "Since COVID, they’re expecting us to give five-star service with three-star staff,” the union said, quoting a staff member at Marriott’s Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-hotel-workers-strike-boston-greenwich-contract-negotiations-stall-2024-09-01/