Nearly 8,000 UNITE HERE hotel workers at Marriott-operated hotels in four North American destinations will hold strike votes the week of September 10.
The strike votes by approximately 7,800 workers come on the heels of the Labor Day demonstrations UNITE HERE Marriott workers across the country protesting what the union claims is Marriott’s lack of movement with contract negotiations on key labor issues, including wages, basic job protection and safer working conditions and standards. According to UNITE HERE, more than 100 hotel workers were arrested in multiple cities for staging acts of civil disobedience outside Marriott hotels on September 3, 2018.
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The strike votes for next week in Waikiki, San Francisco, Boston and on Maui include UNITE HERE workers from 20 hotels. On September 10 the strike votes begin as 3,500 UNITE HERE Local 5 Waikiki and Maui Marriott workers in Hawaii will vote on striking six major Marriott properties between the two cities.
The votes continue September 12 as 1,800 UNITE HERE Local 26 Marriott workers in Boston will hold their strike votes. The next day, on September 13, 2,500 UNITE HERE Local 2 Marriott workers in San Francisco will vote whether to strike seven major Marriotts in their city.
“The more than 20,000 Marriott hotel workers represented by UNITE HERE take great pride in the work they do and the essential role they play in make guest stays a positive experience across North America,” said Rachel Gumpert, national press secretary, UNITE HERE. “With four major cities having announced strike votes for next week that will cover nearly 8,000 Marriott workers whose contracts have expired and more cities to possibly announce strike votes soon, it is clear that Marriott workers are unified in the resounding message that even when you work for the most profitable hotel company in the world, one job is not enough.”
UNITE HERE represents Marriott hotel workers across North America, of whom more than 12,000 have had their contracts expire and are locked in ongoing negotiations. Three of the most crucial points of disagreement include offer workers jobs that are enough for them to live on. Additionally, workers are fighting for improved workplace safety, particularly around unsafe workloads and physical labor, and job protections around technology and innovation in the hospitality industry.
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“Across North America, union workers are ready to fight back against a rigged economy that has left working class families behind for too long now,” said D. Taylor, international president of UNITE HERE. “UNITE HERE has a proud tradition of refusing to take concessionary contracts, and changing lives around the world by raising the standards for union and non-union hospitality workers.
"Our members are proud of the exceptional guest service they provide the people who stay in our hotels, but 8,000 Marriott workers are ready and prepared to strike over their fair share from a highly profitable company receiving major tax handouts from Donald Trump, as workers struggle to get by," he added.
In the coming weeks, hotel workers in additional cities will be announcing dates of additional planned strike votes against Marriott.
