Dozens of hotel workers at City Hall in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. They have been on strike for several weeks. (Unite Here Local 2 via Bay City News)
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Marriott Union Square became the city's fourth major hotel contending with a strike, union officials said Friday.
The Marriott joined the Grand Hyatt San Francisco Union Square, Hilton San Francisco Union Square, and Westin St. Francis, where workers represented by Unite Here Local 2 have been on strike since Sept. 22.
It brings to 1,600 the number of hotel workers on strike in San Francisco, the union said in a press release.
Contracts for employees including housekeepers, bellhops, cooks, dishwashers, servers and bartenders expired at the end of August. Workers are demanding better wages, affordable health care and the restoration of jobs cut during the COVID-19 pandemic.
When the pandemic hit, hotel corporations cut staffing levels. However, these cuts have continued, and staffing minimums never returned to pre-pandemic levels, leading to remaining employees being overworked and lower quality service to guests, Local 2 President Lizzy Tapia said at a San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on Oct. 8.
Hotel workers flood San Francisco City Hall amid strike
Hundreds of hotel workers showed up to a San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, urging the board to push their hotel management to negotiate a fair contract after several weeks of being on strike.