More Hotel Worker Strikes Pop Up Across the U.S.

More than 1,250 hotel workers are now on strike in Boston, New Haven, and San Diego, according to their union, UNITE HERE. 

Strikes at Dagney Boston, the Newbury Boston, Moxy Boston Downtown, and W Boston began Thursday morning and will last three days. The strike at Omni New Haven Hotel in Connecticut also began Thursday morning and will last an undisclosed amount of time. 

Workers at Hilton San Diego Bayfront began their strike on Sept. 1 and will not return to work until a contract agreement is reached. It’s the only Labor Day strike that stretched beyond that weekend, when more than 10,000 employees participated in strikes in nine cities, most lasting only up to three days. 

Hotel workers at Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and Omni properties are demanding higher wages and the restoration of COVID-era staffing cuts. Those hotel groups have not responded to TMR’s requests for comment. 

“I am on strike because I am fighting for a better future – for myself, my children, and all the hotel workers who are here today,” said Dusu Kuyateh, a housekeeper at the W Boston Hotel for 14 years. “I love my job as a hotel housekeeper. When the guests come to my room, I want them to feel ‘WOW!’ But the paycheck we have now is not enough for my family. We are living from paycheck to paycheck. Every year, my landlord increases the rent. I need to have some savings, to leave something for my children in the future.”   

On Wednesday, 150 workers of the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike. That brings the number of cities with strike authorizations to 13, including Baltimore, Boston, Honolulu, Greenwich, Kauai, New Haven, Oakland, Providence, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle. 

UNITE HERE says the strikes “may begin at any time.” The union is updating its website as new strikes arise and has prepared a travel guide for those with reservations at the affected hotels.