Thousands of workers in the hotel industry within the United States have promised to strike after pay cuts and weakened terms of employment due to the pandemic.
The strikes are fast spreading all over major cities as negotiations come to a stalemate in affecting hotel operations and passenger experience.
Thousands of hotel workers in the United States have embarked on strike this week as pandemic-related layoffs persist and advocates cry out for higher wages and improved working conditions.
The labor union UNITE HERE is backing the strike action, in which the employees from notable hotels such as the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, Westin St. Francis in San Francisco, and Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu took part.
Housekeepers, front desk clerks, and bartenders are just some of the striking workers demanding fair pay and manageable workloads as the hotel industry bounces back to record profits.
Staffers say they’re still suffering from personnel cuts from the COVID-19 era, which have compelled many of them to work multiple jobs to help support their families.
“I love my job, but it’s extreme lack of staff. “I need the energy to take care of my family as well as my job,” said Jason Viveiros, a front desk employee at Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Concessions or not, unless talks resume, there may be more walkouts in Boston, Oakland, and Seattle. Hotels are open in the meantime but with fewer amenities.
