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About 10,000 hotel workers began a multiday strike Sunday in several U.S. cities after contract talks with Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels stalled, the UNITE HERE union said.
The strike is affecting 25 hotels in eight cities, including Boston, San Francisco and Honolulu. Workers are demanding higher wages and a return to staffing levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The walkout coincides with a busy holiday weekend, as millions of Americans are expected to travel. AAA reports a 9% increase in domestic travel for Labor Day compared to last year.
Unionized housekeepers are calling for the restoration of daily room cleaning services at major hotel chains. They point to increased workloads, reduced hours and lower wages as major concerns.
The strike underscores broader frustrations among hotel workers who lost jobs during the pandemic and are now facing staffing shortages and changing travel trends.
About 15,000 workers have authorized strikes in 12 markets, with potential actions in Baltimore, New Haven, Oakland and Providence.
The union warns that strikes could start in these cities at any time.
Workers report being stretched thin, with three staff members handling the work of four. This has led to increased stress and lower-quality service.
"Since COVID, they're expecting us to give five-star service with three-star staff," a worker at Marriott's Palace Hotel in San Francisco told the union.
In Baltimore, housekeepers are seeking a wage increase to $20 per hour from the current $16.20.
In Boston, where housekeepers earn $28 per hour, the union is pushing for a $10 per hour raise over the next four years.
Hilton and Hyatt have expressed their commitment to reaching a fair agreement with the union.
Hyatt has prepared contingency plans to reduce the impact of potential strikes, according to Michael D'Angelo, Hyatt's head of labor relations.
The strike is part of broader negotiations involving 40,000 UNITE HERE hotel workers across 20 cities, with contracts set to expire this year.
Negotiations for new four-year contracts began in May.
"We won't accept a 'new normal' where hotel companies profit by cutting their offerings to guests and abandoning their commitments to workers," UNITE HERE President Gwen Mills said.
The union advises travelers to cancel hotel stays if workers are on strike and to request penalty-free refunds.
In 2023, UNITE HERE won record contracts in Los Angeles and Detroit after strikes.
In Honolulu, 5,000 workers walked out, affecting 10,557 rooms.
The union criticized hotels for using the pandemic as an excuse to cut staffing and services, which led to job and income losses for workers.
Strikers were seen picketing in Boston, and a rally is planned for Monday, according to Agence France-Presse.
Hyatt expressed disappointment with the strike and reiterated its readiness to negotiate, stating it has contingency plans in place.
Hilton and Marriott have not yet commented.
Some information for this report came from Reuters, The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
Reuters is a news agency founded in 1851 and owned by the Thomson Reuters Corporation based in Toronto, Canada. One of the world's largest wire services, it provides financial news as well as international coverage in over 16 languages to more than 1000 newspapers and 750 broadcasters around the globe.