The last group of striking hotel workers in San Francisco are voting to approve a new contract with Hilton after a three-month strike. Similar deals were made with Marriott and Hyatt, bringing an end to the strike for around 1,750 workers at those hotels. The strike began in September with over 10,000 hotel workers across 11 cities participating. The agreement with Hilton would cover about 900 workers, including those who have been on strike for over three months at the Hilton hotel in San Francisco.
Hilton Senior Vice President, Paul Ades, stated that the agreement is beneficial to both the team members and the hotels. The deal includes preserving workers’ union health insurance plans, wage increases, and new protections against understaffing and workload increases. The new contract is set to expire in 2028. Bill Fung, a janitor at the Union Square hotel, expressed pride in the workers for standing together during the strike despite facing challenges. The union continues to fight for better working conditions and contracts for hotel workers.
In Las Vegas, hundreds of hotel workers represented by the Culinary Workers Union are still on strike after walking off the job in mid-November in a dispute with Virgin Hotels. This strike is the union’s longest in more than two decades. In Southern California, hotel workers ratified contracts with over 30 hotels in March after repeated strikes in the summer of 2023. The union’s efforts to secure better working conditions and contracts for hotel workers continue to be a major focus.
The San Francisco strike grew to include 2,500 hotel workers, with some participants being arrested during a demonstration outside a Hilton hotel in October. The union, Unite Here Local 2, played a key role in negotiating the agreements with Marriott, Hyatt, and now Hilton. The strikes aimed to address issues such as worker healthcare, wages, and protections against understaffing. The union believes that the new contract with Hilton will benefit both the workers and the hotels, paving the way for employees to return to work under improved conditions.
Despite the challenges faced during the strike, including harsh weather conditions, the hotel workers remained united in their fight for better working conditions. Bill Fung, a janitor at the Union Square hotel, expressed pride in the solidarity demonstrated by him and his coworkers throughout the strike. The union’s efforts to secure fair contracts and protections for hotel workers have been ongoing, with successful negotiations in various cities across the U.S. The resolution of the strike with Hilton marks a significant milestone in the fight for improved conditions in the hospitality industry.
As the last group of striking hotel workers in San Francisco votes to approve the new contract with Hilton, the three-month strike comes to an end. The agreements with Marriott, Hyatt, and now Hilton signal progress in the union’s efforts to secure better working conditions for hotel workers. With the support of Unite Here Local 2, hotel workers have been able to negotiate for improved healthcare, wage increases, and protections against understaffing. The successful resolution of the strike in San Francisco sets a positive precedent for ongoing efforts to advocate for the rights of hotel workers across the country.
