10,000 US hotel workers strike over Labor Day weekend

Approximately 10,000 hotel workers across the United States have staged a strike during the Labor Day holiday, demanding better pay and working conditions. The walkout, which began on Sunday, affected eight major cities including Boston, Honolulu, San Francisco, San Diego, and Seattle, as contract negotiations between the UNITE HERE union and hotel giants Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott reached a stalemate.

Gwen Mills, International President of UNITE HERE, explained the timing of the strike, criticizing the hotels for maintaining pandemic-era cost-cutting measures despite enjoying “record profits.” She emphasized the hardships faced by hotel workers who are struggling to keep up with rising living costs. “Too many hotels still haven’t restored standard services that guests deserve, like automatic daily housekeeping and room service. Workers aren’t making enough to support their families,” Mills stated.

“Many can no longer afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to, and painful workloads are breaking their bodies. We won’t accept a ‘new normal’ where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers,” she added, highlighting the deep frustrations fueling the strike.

The union warned that strikes could also erupt in other cities, including Baltimore, New Haven, Oakland, and Providence, at any moment.

Hyatt’s head of U.S. labor relations, Michael D’Angelo, expressed disappointment over the strike, stating, “We look forward to continuing to negotiate fair contracts and recognize the contributions of Hyatt employees. Hyatt hotels have contingency plans in place to minimize impact on hotel operations related to potential strike activity.”

Hilton and Marriott have yet to comment on the strike, which comes at a critical time for the hospitality industry. Labor Day weekend typically sees a surge in travel, with the AAA reporting a 9 percent increase in bookings compared to last year and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expecting a record 17 million travelers.

This large-scale strike during a peak holiday period underscores the growing tensions between hotel workers and the industry, potentially signaling more labor unrest ahead as workers push back against corporate practices that have strained their livelihoods.