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More than 9,000 hotel workers are on strike across seven U.S. cities as they fight for higher wages and a reversal of Covid-era cuts.
The striking workers are employed by Hilton (HLT), Hyatt (H) and Marriott (MAR). They walked off the job after months of stalled negotiations with the hotel chains.
The workers are striking in Boston; Greenwich, Connecticut; Honolulu and Kauai, Hawaii; San Francisco; San Diego and San Jose. Each strike will last between one and three days. Strikes have also been authorized in New Haven, Connecticut; Oakland and Providence, according to UNITE HERE, the union representing the workers.
“I walked out today because we just cannot keep working paycheck to paycheck, not able to pay our bills,” Jerome Roberts, a dishwasher at the Hilton (HLT) Baltimore Inner Harbor and UNITE HERE member, said in a statement. “Going on strike is hard, but not nearly as hard as trying to get by on what we are getting paid.
“We told the bosses in our negotiations how much we are struggling right now but they didn’t care. We are on strike to make them pay,” Roberts added.
Workers say their pay isn’t enough as the cost of living increases, and many union members report working at least two jobs to make ends meet. During the pandemic, many hotels cut staffing and guest services, but didn’t restore those cuts when travel returned to pre-pandemic levels, the union says. Hotel staff per occupied room decreased by 13% from 2019 to 2022, UNITE HERE said.
“During Covid, everyone suffered, but now the hotel industry is making record profits while workers and guests are left behind. Too many hotels still haven’t restored standard services that guests deserve,” Gwen Mills, International President of Unite Here, said in a statement. “Workers aren’t making enough to support their families. Many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to.”
Concepción Marquez, a banquet server at the Signia by Hilton San Jose and Marriott (MAR) San Jose said she works four part-time jobs to stay afloat. “Right now, we don’t have health insurance because my employers won’t give me hours.”