Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

More than 13,000 hotel workers set to vote on strike in four cities

If workers authorize strikes, they could start any time after contracts expire, the union says

More than 13,000 hotel workers set to vote on strike in four cities
Hotel Workers Strike Vote 2024

AROUND 13,500 UNIONIZED hotel workers in Boston, Honolulu, Providence and San Francisco plan to hold strike authorization votes on August 6 at hotels franchised by Hilton Hotels Corp., Hyatt Hotels Corp., Marriott International and Omni Hotels & Resorts as their contracts near expiration. Workers at 125 hotels, represented by UNITE HERE, are demanding higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era staffing cuts.

The union, UNITE HERE, represents workers in hotels, casinos, and airports across the U.S. and Canada.


“Momentum is building for strikes this year because workers are at a breaking point while the hotel industry is making record profits,” said Gwen Mills, UNITE HERE’s international president. “Hotel companies took advantage of COVID to make severe cuts to staffing and guest services, and now workers say that their jobs are more painful than ever. Meanwhile, wages aren’t enough to cover the cost of living, and many workers have two or even three jobs.”

“This is a fight about the future of the industry for guests and workers alike, and our members are putting the hotels on notice that they’re ready to strike for what their families need,” he said.

According to the union, if workers authorize strikes, they could begin any time after contracts expire. Contracts in some cities have already expired, while others will expire in the coming weeks.

The union said the strike vote announcements follow mid-July protests in 10 cities as contract negotiations drag on. More than 40,000 hotel workers with UNITE HERE have contracts up for renegotiation this year in over 20 cities across the U.S. and Canada, with additional strike votes potentially forthcoming.

‘Respect Our Work’

The U.S. hotel industry’s gross operating profit was 26.63 percent higher in 2022 compared to 2019, but hotel workers report heavy workloads, reduced hours and wages that are insufficient to cover the cost of living, the union said. Many hotels nationwide have retained COVID-era service cuts, including understaffing, ending automatic daily housekeeping and reducing food and beverage options. In the U.S., hotel staffing per occupied room decreased by 13 percent from 2019 to 2022 and by 32 percent from 1995 to 2022.

Workers are calling on the hotel industry to “Respect Our Work” and “Respect Our Guests” by raising wages, reversing staffing cuts that have led to challenging working conditions, and ensuring the protection of guest services and amenities, the statement said.

“I sleep with pain, I wake up with pain, I go to work with pain,” said Jianci Liang, a housekeeper at the Hilton Park Plaza in Boston for seven years. “Since we returned to work after COVID, there are about 20 fewer Room Attendants on the regular schedule. Without the proper staffing, my job is getting harder and harder. When the rooms are sold out, we have to cover the work of the missing people. I have no choice but to work, because it’s hard to save money or set aside funds for an emergency,” she said.

“I’m voting yes to strike because by the time that I come home from work, I’m so exhausted from taking care of guests all day that I’m too exhausted to take care of my own family,” said Wendy Perez, a front desk agent at the Waikiki Beach Marriott for 36 years. “We need staffing that ensures fair workloads and quality service.”

Meanwhile, the UNITE HERE members secured record contracts following rolling strikes at Los Angeles hotels last year.

"We are disappointed that several UNITE HERE locals have chosen to take strike votes," a Hyatt spokesperson told Reuters.  Hyatt has contingency plans in place to ensure its hotel operations are not affected by a strike, while Hilton stated it maintains a cooperative and productive relationship with the union, the Reuters report said.

Meanwhile, the National Labor Relations Board recently withdrew its appeal of a Texas judge’s ruling that blocked its joint employer rule, which would have expanded shared responsibility for employees between franchisers and franchisees. Industry associations including AAHOA and AHLA have welcomed NLRB’s decision to withdraw its appeal citing that rule was “designed to force franchisers to the negotiating table with workers they do not actually employ to increase unionization.

More for you

HWIC joins WHLA to support industry women

HWIC joins WHLA to support industry women

THE HOSPITALITY WOMEN’S Innovation Council recently joined as the 34th member of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance to support women and underserved communities across the industry. The council will encourage women to take part in the messaging, programs and initiatives shared by all WHLA groups.

WHLA was founded in 2021 as a consortium of organizations working to advance women in hospitality.

Keep ReadingShow less
CJ Media WHLA media training event for women in 2025

CJ Media, WHLA launch media training for women in hospitality

CJ Media & WHLA Empower Women with Media Training in 2025

CJ MEDIA SOLUTIONS LLC and the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance will provide quarterly media training to help advance women in hospitality. The program, offered to the alliance’s participating organizations, will draw on experienced media and PR professionals to deliver guidance across interviews, video, podcasts and live panels.

Each session will be archived for alliance members to access anytime, the duo said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Choice Hotels MasteryX 2025 Hack-a-Thon competition in Scottsdale

Choice hosts 10th MasteryX summit in Scottsdale, AZ

Choice Hotels MasteryX 2025: Driving Tech Innovation in Scottsdale

CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL kicked off its 10th annual MasteryX tech summit in Scottsdale, Arizona. Around 650 associates are attending the week-long event to explore technologies and address real-world challenges through workshops, competitions and knowledge-sharing sessions focused on helping hotel owners increase revenue, reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Choice technologists will examine how artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other technologies can support business intelligence, cyber security, on-property operations and the scaling of the company’s tools and systems, Choice said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
શહેરના ફૂટપાથ પર લગેજ સાથે લોકો મુસાફરી કરતા 2025- અમેરિકન પ્રવાસન ખર્ચ 2025

અમેરિકાનો પ્રવાસન્ ઉદ્યોગમાં વર્ષનો પ્રારંભ મંદીથી : અહેવાલ

અમેરિકન પ્રવાસન ખર્ચ 2025માં 2.5% ઘટ્યો: બેંક ઓફ અમેરિકા

અમેરિકન પ્રવાસન્ ખર્ચ હાલમાં 2023 અને 2024ના સ્તરોથી પાછળ છે, જેને બેંક ઓફ અમેરિકા ક્રેડિટ અને ડેબિટ કાર્ડ ડેટા અનુસાર, મહામારી પછીની મુસાફરીની મજબૂત માંગને કારણે વેગ મળ્યો હતો. બેંકના ડેટામાં રહેવાની વ્યવસ્થા, પ્રવાસન અને એરલાઇન ખર્ચમાં ઘટાડો જોવા મળ્યો છે.

બેન્ક ઓફ અમેરિકાના અહેવાલ, “યલો લાઇટ ફોર ટ્રાવેલ: યુએસ ડોમેસ્ટિક ટુરિઝમ ટેપ્સ ધ બ્રેક્સ,” જાણવા મળ્યું છે કે 22 માર્ચ સુધીમાં, રહેવાની અને પ્રવાસન-સંબંધિત સેવાઓ ગયા વર્ષની સરખામણીએ લગભગ 2.5 ટકા ઘટી હતી, જ્યારે એરલાઈન ખર્ચમાં આશરે 6 ટકાનો ઘટાડો થયો હતો.

Keep ReadingShow less
ઇસ્ટર 2025 માટે હોટેલ બુકિંગ ઇન્ટરફેસ સાઇટમાઇન્ડર પ્લેટફોર્મ પર

ઇસ્ટર બુકિંગમાં 16.8 ટકાનો વધારો: સાઇટમાઇન્ડર

ઇસ્ટર 2025: હોટેલ બુકિંગમાં 16.8% વધારો, સાઇટમાઇન્ડર ડેટા

ઇસ્ટર 2025 માટે હોટેલ બુકિંગ ગયા વર્ષના સમાન સમયગાળાની સરખામણીમાં 16.8 ટકા વધુ છે, એક હોટેલ વિતરણ અને આવક પ્લેટફોર્મ સાઇટમાઇન્ડર અનુસાર 2024 અને 2025માં ઇસ્ટરના 30 દિવસ પહેલા નવ બજારોમાં સમાન પ્રોપર્ટીઝ પરના બુકિંગની સરખામણી કરતા ડેટા, મજબૂત માંગ, અગાઉના બુકિંગ અને આંતરરાષ્ટ્રીય મુસાફરીમાં વધતી રુચિ દર્શાવે છે.

આ વૈશ્વિક વલણો યુ.એસ.માં પ્રતિબિંબિત થાય છે, જ્યાં સાઇટમાઇન્ડર ડેટાએ માર્ચ 18 સુધીમાં ઇસ્ટર સપ્તાહના બુકિંગમાં 14.98 ટકાનો વધારો દર્શાવ્યો હતો, જે 2024 માં સમાન સમયગાળાની સરખામણીમાં પ્રોપર્ટી દીઠ સરેરાશ 3.6 વધુ રિઝર્વેશન છે.

Keep ReadingShow less