Hilton HLT hotel workers running into the hundreds at Seattle airport hotels walked off the job on Saturday, calling for higher wages and reversal of COVID-era cuts, the Unite Here union said in a statement on Saturday.
What Happened: “The weeklong strikes by 374 workers at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport and Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center will last until the early hours of October 19, while strikes in Boston, Honolulu, and San Francisco will continue until workers have won their contracts,” the union said.
According to the union, 4,375 hotel workers are currently on strike at Hilton, Hyatt H, and Marriott hotels MAR in Borton, Honolulu, San Francisco, and Seattle.
"Hotel workers are tired of working long hours while barely getting by. Hotel workers keep walking out on strike because hotel corporations like Hilton can afford to raise wages," said the International President of the union Gwen Mills. The striking hotel workers include housekeepers, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, and bellhops.
Hilton did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.
Why It Matters: Over 10,000 workers went on strike across the U.S. on Labor Day weekend after months of contract negotiations yielded no positive outcomes in their favor. Most of the strikes ended after 2-3 days but more strikes followed.
“Hotel workers in Greenwich and New Haven, Conn., Providence, R.I., and San Diego, Calif., have recently ratified new union contracts that include wage increases and affordable health care, but the union cautions that strike issues are unresolved in most cities,” it said.
The Union also urged travelers not to avail themselves of facilities provided by hotels where workers are on strike while noting that services were disrupted in several of them owing to the strike.
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