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Marriott workers in Hawaii have finally put down their picket signs. The 2,700 Marriott workers in the UNITE HERE Local 5 union had been on strike since Oct. 8, and an agreement was finally reached with the hotel company on Nov. 27. The contract, which will give the Local 5 union better pay and protections (especially for female employees) was approved with 99.6 percent in favor. The strike involved five hotels in various parts of Hawaii and affected countless travelers.
Marriott and 7,700 of their employees have negotiated contracts since June, which resulted in strikes in eight cities across the US. Contracts have been signed, and strikes have ceased in Detroit, Boston, San Diego, Oakland, California, and San Jose, California. San Francisco remains the only city that has not reached an agreement with the hotel giant. 2,500 staff from seven properties in downtown San Francisco have been to strike for the last eight weeks — even on Thanksgiving Day, with a potluck held on the street. Employees picketing include housekeepers, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, cooks and bellmen.
Marriott hotels affected by the strike in San Francisco include:
- San Francisco Marriott Union Square
- Palace Hotel by Marriott
- W San Francisco by Marriott
- Westin St. Francis Union Square by Marriott
- San Francisco Marriott Marquis
- Courtyard San Francisco Downtown by Marriott
- St. Regis San Francisco
If you happen to have reservations booked at one of these hotels, consider an alternative.
“Workers have been on strike at Marriott since the first week of October, making this the longest and largest multi-city hotel strike ever,” UNITE HERE said in a press release. Marriott agreed to terms with its Boston employees after a 46-day strike and settled with Hawaii-based employees after 51 days. San Francisco employees are approaching day 56, with negotiations to resume this weekend.
“UNITE HERE is proud of the courage of our members,” said D. Taylor, UNITE HERE’s international president. “Their courage will transform workplace standards in their communities. We will never stop fighting to make one job enough for hospitality workers.”
Featured image by Craig F. Walker/The Boston Globe via Getty Images.
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