Hotel guests forced to cross picket lines as wave of staff strikes sweeps the US
The Marriott hotel chain, one of the largest in the world, has been hit by a wave of strikes in the US at some of its most popular properties, forcing guests to cross picket lines on arrival.
The walk-out over pay by some 7,700 workers in eight cities - Boston, San Jose, San Francisco, Detroit, Oakland, San Diego, Honolulu and Maui on Hawaii - includes cooks, banqueting staff, servers, switchboard operators and housekeeping staff. Another 300 have also voted to take industrial action, which could see the dispute spread to Seattle.
The dispute has left guests having to cross picket lines if they wish to stay at hotels involved. The New York Yankees baseball team faced criticism for crossing a picket line while staying in Boston at the weekend, where they were playing the Red Sox.
It also means that many of the services guests take for granted are not being carried out.
A call to the in-house reservation department at one of the hotels involved in the dispute was answered by a voice message asking guests to leave their details.
Other effects could see guests waiting hours to check in to their rooms and restaurants either closed or only offering a limited menu.
The Unite Here union represents more than 270,000 members working in the hotel, gaming, food service, and airport industries across the US and Canada.
“If I paid $700 (£536) a night for a room and when I checked in there were dirty towels on the floor and an unmade bed, I would be outraged,” said Brian Lang, president of the Unite Here Local 26, representing workers in Boston, where the city is facing the first hotel strike in its history.
“Marriott has forced this strike. After five years of record profits and more than six months of contract talks Marriott still doesn’t get it. Hotel room rates are astronomical and occupancy rates are higher and higher.
“It’s our work that creates the great experience for the hotel guests. We are the reason that they keep coming back. Our demand is modest and fair, One Job Should be Enough.
“The hotels are finding it hard to find people who will cross the picket line. The unemployment rate is at a 49-year low.”
In a move to step up pressure on Marriott the union has also issued travel advisories, suggesting alternative hotels where guests could stay.
Juan Medina, who works in housekeeping at the Westin Boston Waterfront, says staff have been hit by the chain’s “Green Choice” programme, which offers guests a small financial incentive to clean their own rooms.
“It’s turned housekeeping into an on call service. It makes it harder to work the hours which qualifies you for health insurance,” he said.
“When you do come to clean the rooms at the end of the stay, they have been trashed and it takes an hour to get them ready for the next guest.”
A spokesman for Marriott played down the impact of the strike.
“We are disappointed that Unite Here has chosen to resort to a strike at this time.
“During the strike our hotels are open, and we stand ready to provide excellent service to our guests. While we respect our associates’ rights to participate in this work stoppage, we also will welcome any associate who chooses to continue to work.”
