10,000 US Hotel Workers Strike Over Labor Day Weekend, Demanding Wage Hikes and Better Conditions

Over Labor Day weekend, more than 10,000 hotel workers across multiple U.S. cities launched a strike to demand better wages and improved working conditions, likely causing significant disruption for holiday travelers. The strike, spearheaded by the Unite Here union, includes workers from major cities such as Boston, Seattle, Honolulu, Kauai, and Greenwich, Connecticut, as well as the Californian cities of San Francisco, San Diego, and San Jose. The walkout follows failed contract negotiations between the workers and hotel owners, marking a critical moment in ongoing labor disputes in the hospitality industry.

Unite Here, which represents hotel, casino, and airport workers across the U.S. and Canada, has warned that this industrial action could escalate, with hotel staff in cities like Baltimore, Providence, Oakland, and New Haven potentially joining the strike. The union is demanding wage increases and the reversal of pandemic-era job cuts, which have increased workloads and worsened working conditions for those still employed. According to union officials, the cuts implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic have had lasting negative effects, with fewer workers being forced to shoulder heavier responsibilities.

“The hotel industry has recovered from the pandemic, with room rates reaching record highs,” said Gwen Mills, the international president of Unite Here. “But hotel workers can no longer afford to live in the cities where they work, forcing many to take on multiple jobs to survive.” Mills emphasized that workers refuse to accept the current situation, where hotel companies benefit from reduced services and cutbacks, which undermine both guest experiences and employee livelihoods.

The strike has so far impacted operations at 24 hotels across eight cities and comes at a time when travel demand is expected to peak, according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) forecasts. Labor Day weekend has historically been one of the busiest travel periods in the U.S., heightening the potential impact of the strike on travelers.

Unite Here accuses the hotel industry of using pandemic-related lockdowns as an excuse to permanently reduce staff levels and guest services, a tactic that the union believes is driven by profit maximization. The union is also urging guests to cancel bookings at affected hotels and request refunds as part of their solidarity with the workers.

The labor action follows months of negotiation with major hotel chains, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Omni. Hyatt, one of the chains involved in the dispute, expressed disappointment over the strike. “We are committed to negotiating fair contracts and appreciate the contributions of our employees,” said Michael D’Angelo, Hyatt’s head of labor relations.

The strike is expected to last three days, but with more workers possibly joining in, the scope of the labor action could broaden, creating more challenges for both the hotel industry and guests across the country.

This strike highlights a growing frustration among service industry workers, particularly in hospitality, as they grapple with rising living costs, wage stagnation, and increased workloads. Many workers argue that while the industry has rebounded financially from the pandemic, they have not shared in that recovery, which has led to the current standoff.