Most of the 10,000 hotel workers who went on strike over Labor Day weekend have returned to work, except for a group of 700 union members in San Diego who remain on strike at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The workers will stay on strike until a contract agreement is reached, according to their union, Unite Here. The strike was planned as a limited duration walk-out affecting as many as 25 hotels in nine US cities over the holiday weekend. The affected hotels, including Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott properties, remained open during the strike, with guests experiencing noisy picket lines and reduced services from skeleton crews.
The union and its members claim that workers in the hotel industry are being paid less than before the pandemic due to reduced hours and tips, despite soaring profits in the sector. The union’s international president, Gwen Mills, stated that workers are struggling to support their families and cannot afford to live in the cities where they work. The union is demanding the restoration of services such as daily room cleaning, which they argue inconveniences guests and makes housekeeping jobs more difficult. Lack of daily room cleaning also reduces the number of housekeeping jobs by 39%, according to the union.
The affected hotel companies insist they remain committed to reaching fair deals with the union and are working to ensure guests are not inconvenienced by the strike. Unite Here has used the strategy of limited duration strikes in previous labor actions, such as a strike at 65 hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties that started on July 4 weekend last year. The union has not ruled out using rolling strikes or expanding the strike to other locations, as union members at a total of 65 hotels nationwide had authorized a strike going into the Labor Day weekend.
Limited duration strikes are a new strategy for US unions but are common in other countries, particularly in Europe. The strategy aims to help workers retain as many days of pay as possible during contract negotiations. In addition to hotel workers, limited duration strikes have been successful in securing labor deals for school employees in Los Angeles, health care workers at Kaiser Permanente, janitors, nursing home employees, and other workers in Minnesota who went on strike together in March. Despite the challenges faced by workers, the union has managed to secure what they claim are record contracts with most Southern California hotels impacted by the strike.
The strike at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront and other affected hotels highlights the ongoing labor issues faced by workers in the hotel industry, as well as the broader challenges of low wages and reduced benefits in the workforce. As travel demand returns and profits increase in the hotel sector, workers are advocating for fair compensation and better working conditions. The union’s efforts to negotiate contracts and ensure the well-being of its members serve as a reminder of the importance of collective bargaining and solidarity in addressing labor issues in various industries. The union’s persistence and determination to fight for the rights of hotel workers demonstrate the ongoing struggle for economic justice and fair treatment in the workplace.
