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US hotel strikes revive in Boston, New Haven and San Diego

Sept. 12, 2024
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3 min read
USA, Massachusetts, Boston, skyscrapers and cityscape at dusk
US hotel strikes revive in Boston, New Haven and San Diego
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Another wave of hotel strikes unfurled in two major New England cities Tuesday, while one in Southern California continues to grip a Hilton-affiliated property.

Hundreds of hotel workers in Boston and New Haven, Connecticut, went on strike Tuesday amid a national labor dispute between hospitality workers and hotel owners. Limited strikes previously took place over Labor Day weekend in several other cities, including Boston, but mainly ended after several days. Workers at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront have been striking since the beginning of the month and say they will continue to strike until a new contract deal is struck.

All those striking are part of various chapters of the Unite Here labor union and include housekeepers, front desk agents, cooks, dishwashers, servers, bartenders, bellhops and other hotel staff. Around the country, local Unite Here chapters representing hotel workers have been negotiating for higher wages, better working conditions and more employee protections. Many hotel labor contracts expired Aug. 31.

Workers at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel voted to strike Monday and could walk off the job at any minute, a Unite Here announcement claimed. Additionally, strikes have been authorized and could also happen in Baltimore; Greenwich, Connecticut; Honolulu; Kauai, Hawaii; Oakland, California; Providence; San Francisco; San Jose, California; and Seattle.

The new strikes in Boston are currently underway at The Dagney, The Newbury Boston, Moxy Boston Downtown and W Boston, and will last three days. The New Haven strike is taking place at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale, but the expected duration hasn’t been made public.

While spokespeople with major brands like Hilton and Hyatt previously told TPG there are contingency plans in place to minimize disruptions during a strike, Unite Here warns guests that services will likely be suspended while hotels operate with skeleton staffing.

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Additionally, the labor union launched a "Hotel Disloyalty" website Thursday highlighting how Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt have devalued their respective loyalty programs since the pandemic. Unite Here emphasizes these point value declines are a piece of greater operations cuts underway at major hotel groups to reduce costs.

Related reading:

Featured image by JOHN COLETTI/THE IMAGE BANK/GETTY IMAGES
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.