In a coordinated push for better wages and working conditions, unionized hotel workers across Seattle, Hawaii, and California have overwhelmingly voted to authorize strikes. This authorization comes as workers grapple with skyrocketing living costs and demand a return to staffing levels that were in place prior to the pandemic. Led by the Unite Here union, thousands of employees have expressed their readiness to take action if negotiations with hotel management do not yield satisfactory outcomes.
Recent social media communications from local chapters of Unite Here indicate that the strike authorizations represent a significant moment in the labor movement within the hospitality industry. According to the union, contracts for many hotel workers have already expired, but no official strike has yet been called, despite growing frustration.
As per a recent report, the hospitality workforce in the U.S. is facing challenges that have compounded since the pandemic. A whopping 58% of hotel workers surveyed expressed that they feel more stressed than before due to increased workloads and low staffing levels. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in early 2024 that the consumer price index for lodging away from home rose by over 5% in the past year alone, significantly affecting employees' purchasing power.
The current strike authorizations occur against a backdrop of rising inflation, which has made it harder for workers to sustain their livelihoods. Over a decade, wages for hospitality workers have seen only incremental increases, while the cost of living has surged. According to the Economic Policy Institute, real wages in the hospitality sector have essentially stagnated when adjusted for inflation.
Moreover, the landscape of the hospitality industry is evolving, with technologies like artificial intelligence and automation beginning to change labor needs. MARC Research noted that 63% of hospitality employers are considering automation for routine tasks, which may further displace workers or alter the nature of their job
As workers rally for rights and fair compensation, it remains to be seen how hotel management will respond. The coming weeks could be crucial as unions prepare to mobilize their members either to negotiate powerfully or stage walkouts, depending on how productive negotiations with management prove to be.
The vote to authorize strikes has seen unprecedented approval rates in several locations. In San Diego, for example, 97.8% of Hilton San Diego Bayfront workers voted in favor of striking after unsuccessful negotiations. Representatives of Unite Here Local 30 noted that the hotel had not made any attempt to negotiate since their engagements began in July.
Union members at the Kona Kai Resort in the same city recently won improved wages and benefits without resorting to a strike, illustrating that negotiations can indeed bear fruit when management is cooperative. However, the prevailing sentiment among workers is that their demands are being ignored
In Northern California, a similar pattern unfolded with 91% of workers at the Oakland Marriott City Center voting to authorize a strike. This follows a wave of strike authorizations from the San Francisco area, where workers from various hotels expressed a need for action.
In Seattle, workers at the DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport and Westin Seattle overwhelmingly supported the authorization, with 98% voting in favor. The response reflects both the urgency for improvement in working conditions and the frustrations that have simmered since the pandemic began.
Hawaii is also witnessing a significant push, with about 5,000 workers authorizing walkouts. Recent local votes included a striking 91% support from Sheraton Kauai workers. The drive for change is encapsulated by voices like Raylene Pualani, a guest service agent, who described the grueling realities of working long shifts in an understaffed environment. “I have lost track of how many times I have asked management when we are going to restore staffing and service hours to what it was before the pandemic,” she asserted.
