- Approximately 10,000 hotel employees in the United States stage a walkout, demanding higher wages.
Around 10,000 workers in the United States hotel sector staged a walkout during the extended holiday period, demanding better pay and working conditions. As per the union Unite Here, the strike has affected 24 hotels in eight cities, such as Boston, Seattle, and San Francisco. Hotels under chains like Hilton, Marriott, and Hyatt have been impacted by this move.
The union reported that many employees resort to holding down two jobs to make ends meet as a single income isn't sufficient to cover their living costs. Negotiations with employers over several months have been fruitless, according to Unite Here's criticism.
The strike is scheduled to end on Tuesday.
Mary Taboniar, a housekeeper at a Hilton hotel in Hawaii's Oahu, shared her struggles of surviving paycheck to paycheck, often uncertain about affording her rent, living expenses, and healthcare for her family. As a single mother, she relies on a second job, as stated in a communique from Unite Here.
Michael D'Angelo, a high-ranking executive at Hyatt, told the New York Times that the company regrets the employees' decision to strike but is prepared for talks. The company has contingency plans in place to lessen the strike's impact. The strike is expected to continue in most cities until Tuesday.
The labour market struggles faced by hotel workers, as seen in their need for multiple jobs to make ends meet, have been a major issue of contention. Despite lengthy negotiations, the union's demands for improved pay and working conditions have not been met by the hotel employers.
