General
Hotel Workers Just Went on Strike in the Northeast. How Will That Affect My Trip?
Though hotel chains say they’ll continue to operate normally, travelers could see disruptions as 1,100 employees walked off the job. Here’s what to know.
Nearly 1,100 front-desk workers, housekeepers and other employees at about fivehotels in twocities walked off the job on early Sunday after failing to come to an agreement in contract negotiations.
The strikes were called at Fairmont Copley Plaza, Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Hilton Boston Logan Airport and Hampton Inn Boston Seaport District in Boston, and the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Connecticut. They are scheduled to last three days. More hotel workers in other cities could also soon announce strikes.
The strike comes as thousands of workers at Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Marriott Hotels & Resorts, and Omni Hotels & Resorts properties across the country — in about 12 cities stretching from Honolulu to Boston — have been engaged in contentious talks since at least May.
The workers, members of Unite Here, which represents many segments of the hospitality industry, have been pushing for higher wages and to address pandemic-era staffing and service cuts that have left some employees feeling overwhelmed.
“The hotel industry has rebounded from the pandemic, and room rates are at record highs,” Gwen Mills, Unite Here’s international president, said in a statement before the strike. “But hotel workers can’t afford to live in the cities that they welcome guests to. Too many hotel workers have to work two or sometimes three jobs in order to make ends meet.”
The affected hotels say they plan to stay open, perhaps with modified services, but they may not always notify travelers that a strike is happening. So inquire ahead of time, or you may be surprised to find a spirited picket line in front of your hotel when you arrive.
