10,000 Hotel Workers Strike on Labor Day Weekend Amid Ongoing Contract Disputes
Approximately 10,000 hotel workers walked off the job this Labor Day weekend, staging a strike in major cities across the United States after contract negotiations between their union, UNITE HERE, and hotel companies stalled.
The rolling strike, which began on Sunday, affects workers in cities such as Boston, San Francisco, and Seattle, and is expected to continue for several days.
Union Demands and Reasons for the Strike
The striking workers are part of UNITE HERE, a labor union representing hospitality workers in the U.S. and Canada, including those in the hotel, gaming, manufacturing, food service, and airport industries.
The union stated that workers have been driven to strike after months of unresolved negotiations for new contracts.
The primary demands include higher wages and the reinstatement of positions cut during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the union argues have led to increased workloads and “painful working conditions.”
“We will not accept a ‘new normal’ where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests,” said Gwen Mills, international president of UNITE HERE, in a press release.
Mills highlighted reductions in daily room cleaning services and limited food options that have not returned to pre-pandemic standards as significant issues.
The Scope of the Strike and Impact on Major Cities
This weekend’s strike involves 24 hotels across eight states, including high-profile locations in Boston, Greenwich, Connecticut, Honolulu and Kauai in Hawaii, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle.
Workers in these cities will be on strike for two to three days starting Sunday.
According to UNITE HERE, about 40,000 workers in 20 cities are facing expired contracts, with negotiations for new contracts ongoing since May but remaining unsuccessful.
Michael D’Angelo, head of labor relations for the Americas at Hyatt, expressed disappointment over the strike, stating that the company remains willing to negotiate and has contingency plans in place to mitigate the impact of the walkout.
Similarly, a spokesperson for Hilton told CNN that the company is committed to reaching a deal with the union and will continue to provide services during the strike.
Current State of the Hotel Workers Strike
The union argues that as the hospitality industry rebounds from the pandemic slump, positions cut during that time should be reinstated.
According to STR, a hospitality data company, the industry is expected to see continued growth as travel conditions remain favorable.
Revenue per room and average daily rates hit record highs in the U.S. in 2023, with leisure travel rebounding quickly and business travel gradually following suit.
Despite these improvements, staffing levels in hotels have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, the accommodation sector employed 2.12 million people, but by May 2024, that number had only recovered to 1.92 million.
As a result, some hotel chains have scaled back services like daily housekeeping, opting instead to clean rooms every few days—a move that hotels argue is more convenient for travelers but that employees see as an added burden.
Significant Numbers and Tangential Events
5,000 workers are currently on strike in Honolulu alone, the largest number in any city, affecting seven hotels with over 10,500 rooms.
The strike in Honolulu is scheduled to last from Sunday through Tuesday. San Francisco has the second-highest number of striking workers, with 2,080 employees participating.
The strike coincides with what is expected to be one of the busiest Labor Day weekends for travel and the hospitality industry.
AAA predicts a 9% increase in domestic travel compared to last year, with San Francisco and Boston—two cities affected by the strike—named as top travel destinations.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has also forecasted its busiest Labor Day travel period ever, with over 17 million passengers expected to be screened between August 29 and the following Wednesday.
A Pivotal Moment for Labor Relations in Hospitality
The widespread strike by hotel workers this Labor Day weekend highlights the ongoing struggles within the hospitality industry as it recovers from the pandemic.
With labor contracts expiring and worker demands for fair wages and better working conditions growing louder, the outcome of these negotiations could set a significant precedent for labor relations across the sector.
As the industry faces one of its busiest travel periods, the pressure is on both the union and hotel companies to reach a resolution that addresses the needs of both workers and travelers alike.