USA: Strike at several hotel chains – 1000 employees go on strike – Economy

After the failure of collective bargaining negotiations with hotel operators Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt, around 10,000 hotel employees in major US cities have laid off several jobs. “Since Corona, they have expected us to deliver five-star service with a three-star workforce,” said the union Unite Here. 24 hotels in popular travel destinations such as San Francisco, San Diego, Honolulu, Boston and Seattle are affected.

The union is demanding better working conditions and higher wages and is warning of a possible expansion of the strike to other cities. Hilton and Hyatt are stressing their willingness to negotiate fairly. Marriott did not initially respond to a request from the Reuters news agency.

The strike comes at a time of increased travel over Labor Day weekend, which is a non-working Monday in the U.S. According to the union, hotel workers are overworked because management often assigns three employees to do the work of four, causing significant stress and a shift in emphasis from service to speed.

In Baltimore, hotel workers are fighting for, among other things, an increase in hourly wages from $16.20 to $20. In Boston, the union is demanding a $10 per hour increase over four years. The union called on travelers to cancel their hotel bookings during strikes and demand a full refund.