Seattle Hilton Hotel Workers Strike, Demands Fair Wages And Better Conditions

In Seattle, over 100 Hilton hotel workers have gone on strike, seeking fair wages, manageable workloads, and the restoration of staffing cuts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The strike, spearheaded by the Unite Here union, emphasizes rising frustrations within the hotel industry as workers grapple with the challenges of post-pandemic recovery and advocate for their labor rights. Moreover, during the Labor Day weekend, more than 10,000 hotel workers in various cities launched multi-day strikes due to stalled contract negotiations with Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott.

According to Reuters, the weeklong strike, which started on October 12, includes 374 workers from the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Seattle Airport and the Hilton Seattle Airport & Conference Center.

"We remain committed to negotiating in good faith to reach fair and reasonable agreements that are beneficial to both our valued team members and to our hotels," a Hilton spokesperson said in a statement.

"The strike will last until the early hours of October 19, while strikes in Boston, Honolulu, and San Francisco will continue until workers have won their contracts," the union said.

The Seattle strike is a component of a wider movement affecting the hotel industry, with over 4,300 workers from Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott properties in cities including Honolulu, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle now participating in strikes.

In September, around 2,000 workers demonstrated their solidarity with a walkout at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, which is recognized as the largest Hilton hotel worldwide. This wave of strikes reflects a growing demand for improved labor conditions across multiple locations.