Union members from Local 26, which represents workers in the Massachusetts hospitality industry, protest outside the Hyatt Regency Boston on July 17.
Charles Krupa/AP
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Charles Krupa/AP
Thousands of hotel workers have begun a multi-day strike in several cities across the United States to demand higher wages and more staff. after contract negotiations with major hotel chains Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott stalled.
Workers went on strike Sunday in 25 cities including San Francisco, Seattle, Greenwich, Conn., and Honolulu, according to Unite Here, a union representing hotel workers across North America. Organizers said the strikes were planned to last two to three days, noting the timing of the strike on Labor Day. Workers in Baltimore, New Haven, Conn., Oakland, Calif., and Providence, R.I., were also preparing to join the strike.
Workers are demanding higher wages and more staff to ease the workload. The union says the staffing and customer service cuts many hotels made during the COVID-19 pandemic have never been restored.
The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), the trade group representing major hotel operators, said 86% of its member hotels have raised wages and hotel worker wages have increased by 26% since the pandemic hit, according to The Associated Press.
Many hotel workers say their salaries are not enough to cover their living expenses and they have to work multiple jobs to pay the bills.
“Everyone suffered during COVID, but now the hospitality industry is making record profits while workers and guests are left behind,” said Gwen Mills, international president of UNITE HERE. “Many can no longer afford to live in the cities they welcome, and the painful workload is taking its toll on their bodies. We will not accept a ‘new normal’ where hospitality companies make profits by cutting back on services for guests and abandoning their commitment to workers.”
The AHLA hotel association says 80% of hotels report staffing shortages, while 50% say housekeeping is their biggest hiring need.
Earlier this year, the union secured major benefits for hotel workers in Southern California. after months of strike began last summer. Workers at 34 hotels won significant pay rises, increased employer contributions to pensions and guarantees of fairer working conditions.
In a statement, Hyatt said it remains open to negotiations with the union. “We look forward to continuing to negotiate fair contracts that recognize the contributions of Hyatt employees,” the hotel operator said. Marriott and Hilton did not immediately respond to NPR’s request for comment.
