Unite Here union says hotel workers' strikes concluded in Baltimore, Seattle

[September 04, 2024]  (Reuters) -The Unite Here union said on Tuesday strikes by U.S. hotel workers have concluded in Baltimore and Seattle, while 9,376 workers remained on strike in seven cities.  

Some 10,000 hotel workers began a multi-day strike in nine U.S. cities on Sunday after contract talks with hotel operators Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide, and Hyatt Hotels, stalled.

Hotel workers strike in Waikiki as some 10,000 U.S. hotel workers represented by the Unite Here union began a multi-day strike in several cities after contract talks with hotel operators Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide and Hyatt Hotels reached an impasse, in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. September 1, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Garcia

The workers are demanding higher wages, fair staffing and workloads, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts.

The union says that many hotels took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to cut staffing and guest services that were never restored, causing workers to lose jobs and income – and creating painful working conditions for those who carry the increased workload.

Unite Here, which represents workers in hotels, casinos, and airports across the United States and Canada, said thousands of workers at 24 hotels were on strike in some major travel destinations including San Francisco and San Diego in California, Hawaii's capital city Honolulu, Boston and Greenwich, Connecticut.

"Each city's strike will last one to three days," it said.

The union has urged guests to not visit any hotel that is on strike, until the workers secure a new contract.

About 40,000 Unite Here hotel workers across 20 cities face expiring contracts this year.

(Reporting by Abhinav Parmar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid and Shinjini Ganguli)

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