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Demonstrators wore red T-shirts and chanted, “No contract, no
peace," while blasting air horns.
Police officers escorted the arrested protesters to a sheriff’s
bus parked nearby, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The union, Unite Here Local 2, said in a Thursday statement that
85 of its members were taken into custody.
Over 2,000 union workers have been seeking better pay and
improved benefits after labor contracts expired in August.
Union members have previously blocked traffic and organized
sit-ins during hotel contact disputes in 2018, 2010 and 2005 ,
leading to arrests, the Chronicle reported.
Unite Here Local 2 said it hasn’t met with hotel operators that
include Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott since August. A Hyatt
official told the newspaper that the union hasn’t reached out to
resume bargaining since the strike began last month.
The union said it would give up guaranteed wage increases and
instead tie them to hotel revenue.
“Hotel workers love San Francisco and want to help our city
recover,” Lizzy Tapia, president of Unite Here Local 2, said in
a statement. “Back in August, we even offered to sacrifice
guaranteed wage increases and make pay contingent on hotel
profits, and we challenged the hotels to match our investment
and reverse COVID-era cuts.”
The strike encompasses major hotels including the Grand Hyatt
San Francisco, Marriott Union Square, Palace Hotel, and Westin
St. Francis, as well as the Hilton Union Square.
“We are disappointed that Unite Here Local 2 continues to strike
while Hyatt remains willing to continue bargaining in good
faith. At this time, Unite Here Local 2 has not contacted us to
resume bargaining since the strike began,” Michael D’Angelo,
head of labor relations in the Americas, for Hyatt, said in a
statement.
D’Angelo said the hotels have plans in place to minimize the
impact on hotel operations related to strike activity.
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