San Francisco Hotel Workers On Strike!
Over 1,500 hotel workers in San Francisco are on strike, marking the Bay Area’s second major hospitality walkout this month. This strike, organized by UNITE HERE Local 2, includes bellhops, housekeepers, cooks, and other hotel staff. It kicked off on Sunday after months of tough negotiations with the Westin St. Francis, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, and the Grand Hyatt San Francisco. The workers’ previous contract expired on August 14.
The strike reflects growing frustration over low wages that fail to match the high cost of living in the Bay Area. Workers are also pushing for improved healthcare and pension benefits. Genevieve Obando, a housekeeper at the Hilton, voiced the concerns of many, stating to KQED, “The hotel is not offering us a fair contract. We want to see an improvement in our salary and to keep our insurance since it’s very expensive. We are trying to fight for our rights.”
This current strike follows a significant walkout over Labor Day weekend, when more than 2,000 hotel workers across the Bay Area demanded better wages and a reversal of pandemic-related service cuts. That action lasted three days and marked one of the largest national hotel workers’ walkouts since 2018.
Despite the hospitality industry recovering from pandemic disruptions, the situation is complicated. Hotels are experiencing an increase in occupancy and are expected to pay employees a record $15.3 billion in wages and compensation in 2024, up from $14.7 billion in 2023. However, wages are growing more slowly than inflation, meaning that workers’ pay is losing purchasing power. Ken Jacobs, co-chair of the UC Berkeley Center for Labor, pointed out that during the pandemic, many companies cut staff significantly, leading to heavier workloads for remaining employees.
This has serious implications for the health and safety of hotel staff, as many are now expected to do double or triple the work due to understaffing. Lizzy Tapia, president of UNITE HERE Local 2, emphasized that this struggle is about respect and fairness for workers who are facing increased pressure and those who are still without full-time jobs.
Hilton San Francisco Union Square responded by saying they are committed to negotiating in good faith to reach a fair agreement. David Lewin, general manager of the Grand Hyatt, noted that full recovery for the industry might take three to five years, citing a lack of conventions and a drop in local business.
With the recent Salesforce Dreamforce conference concluded, striking workers like Janet Wong say they will not return to work until their demands for better benefits are met. The situation is part of a broader wave of labor actions, with strikes also authorized in cities like Oakland and Sacramento, indicating a growing momentum in the hospitality sector.
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