10,000 Hotel Workers Struck on Labor Day

Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott Workers Spend Labor Day on the Picket Line Amid Strike Over Wages, Workload, COVID-Era Cuts

UPDATE AS OF SEPT. 3, 2024: 9,376 workers remain on strike in seven cities (Boston, Greenwich, Honolulu, Kauai, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose). Strikes have concluded in Baltimore and Seattle.

Baltimore, Md. – Thousands of U.S. hotel workers are on strike this Labor Day.

Approx. 200 hotel workers walked off the job in Baltimore this morning. After months of unresolved negotiations, over 10,000 hotel workers with the UNITE HERE union were on strike at 25 hotels in nine cities: Baltimore, Boston, Greenwich, Honolulu, Kauai, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. Each city’s strike will last one to three days. Strikes have also been authorized and could begin at any time in New Haven, Oakland, and Providence. …

Workers are calling for higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts. They say their wages aren’t enough to cover the cost of living, and many have to work two jobs to make ends meet. The union says that many hotels took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to cut staffing and guest services that were never restored, causing workers to lose jobs and income – and creating painful working conditions for those who carry the increased workload.

Room rates are at record highs, and the U.S. hotel industry made over $100 billion in gross operating profit in 2022. But hotel staffing per occupied room was down 13% from 2019 to 2022 as many hotels maintained COVID-era cuts, including understaffing, ending automatic daily housekeeping, and removing food and beverage options.

The union urges guests not to eat, sleep, or meet at any hotel that is on strike or where workers have been on strike until they secure a new contract. Hotels may suspend services while trying to operate with skeleton staffing, and picket lines will run outside struck hotels for up to 24 hours a day. Guests are encouraged to consult the union’s travel guide and use its Labor Dispute Map, where they can search hotels by name or city to learn whether a hotel is on strike and find alternatives.

Last year, UNITE HERE members won record contracts after rolling strikes at Los Angeles hotels and a 47-day strike at Detroit casinos. Go  here for more.