Hospitality Workers Unite: Rallying for Fair Contracts

Ahead of upcoming contract negotiations, thousands of unionized hotel workers are preparing to rally across 18 cities in the U.S. and Canada. Their primary demand: significant pay raises. These demonstrations coincide with the initiation of talks with major operators such as Marriott International, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, and Hyatt Hotels Corp. This collective action involves approximately 40,000 workers who are seeking to secure new contracts, marking their first negotiation since the onset of the pandemic.

Talks will cover about 40,000 workers who look to secure new contracts for the first time since the pandemic. Workers want to reverse pandemic-era staffing and service cuts, as well as duplicate the big pay hikes that organized workers across the nation have been winning in recent years.

The workers are aiming to address several critical issues stemming from the pandemic, including staffing and service cuts that have adversely affected both their working conditions and the quality of services provided to guests. Gwen Mills, the international union president at Unite Here, which represents a vast array of workers across various industries, including hotels, casinos, food service, and airports, highlights the need for a fair distribution of profits in response to the surge in room rates following the pandemic-induced travel boom.

The rallies, scheduled for May 1st, the international workers’ holiday, will see workers marching through prominent areas such as downtown Boston, Greenwich, and several cities in California, while others will picket outside hotels in Baltimore, New Haven, Toronto, and Honolulu.

The backdrop for these negotiations is shaped by the significant labor victories of 2023, particularly in Las Vegas, where the Culinary and Bartenders Unions, affiliates of Unite Here, secured record contracts. These victories, including substantial wage increases and improved working conditions, underscore the increased bargaining power of employees in a tight labor market.

Negotiations have already commenced in key locations such as Washington D.C., Hawaii, and Boston, with the union emphasizing the importance of securing individual contracts with each hotel. The potential outcomes of these negotiations extend beyond the unionized hotels, as non-union establishments may feel compelled to increase wages to attract and retain employees.

Industry data from commercial real estate analytics firms such as CoStar indicate a rebound in hotel profitability and revenue metrics, albeit with challenges persisting in markets like San Francisco, where hotel owners remain cautious due to lingering profitability concerns.

In summary, the forthcoming rallies and negotiations represent a critical moment for hotel workers to advocate for their rights and secure fair contracts that address the challenges exacerbated by the pandemic while also ensuring their fair share of the industry’s profits.