Seattle hotel workers strike on Labor Day for better wages

Seattle hotel workers strike on Labor Day

Thousands of hotel workers are on strike across the U.S. after contract negotiations stalled with hotel chains Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott.

SEATTLE - Thousands of hotel workers across the United States are on strike this Labor Day, including those in Seattle, following stalled contract negotiations with major hotel chains Hilton, Hyatt, and Marriott.

Locally, the Westin Seattle, Seattle Airport Hilton, and DoubleTree Seattle Airport are the primary hotels affected. Workers from various departments, including housekeepers, cooks, dishwashers, and front desk agents, are participating in the strike, seeking better workloads and higher wages amid rising living costs.

Anita Seth, president of Unite Here Local 8, has been leading the charge, standing with workers since early Sunday morning.

"What better way to celebrate Labor Day than being out on a picket line and fighting for workers to get what they deserve?" Seth said, emphasizing the significance of the holiday.

Seth pointed out that despite the hospitality industry bouncing back from the pandemic, hotels have not restored full staffing levels, leading to increased workloads for the remaining employees.

"Since the businesses have come back from the pandemic, the hotels have not brought back full staff," she noted.

Negotiations have been ongoing for months, but little progress has been made.

"We are very far away. The hotel has offered pennies from what we need," Seth said.

The union's demands include significant wage increases, fair staffing levels, and the reversal of COVID-era cuts that have left workers overburdened.

In Seattle, hotel revenue reached $898.1 million in 2023, marking a 15% increase from the previous year, according to Visit Seattle. Despite this growth, workers say their wages have not kept pace with inflation, forcing many to take on multiple jobs to make ends meet.

"Our members already work two and three jobs in order to make ends meet, and that's one of the things we're trying to fight for, is perhaps them to work fewer hours," Seth said. "We think that they shouldn't have to do that, doing backbreaking work in order to just be able to feed their families and afford a place to live."

Ayshad Hajiyeva, a 65-year-old cook at the Westin Seattle, talks with FOX 13's Alejandra Guzman.

Ayshad Hajiyeva, a 65-year-old cook at the Westin Seattle, expressed her frustration with the current situation.

"Our wage is low. Nowadays, you know prices go up because of inflation, this is why we cannot survive. We are here to fight and we want more money," Hajiyeva said. "We cooks work six days, maybe sometimes seven days. It's really too much for us."

The grueling nature of the work has taken a toll on the cooks, who often work six or seven days a week. Despite their hard work, Hajiyeva feels the rewards are inadequate.

"They make really good money because of us. Don't be cheap, Marriott. Pay us what we deserve," she urged.

Hajiyeva's sentiment is echoed by many other workers who feel they are being exploited.

"We are human beings. We want to live as a human being, normal," Hajiyeva said.

The strikes have disrupted operations at several major hotels, with many workers losing out on holiday pay. While they plan to return to work tomorrow, the fight is far from over. They remain resolute in their fight for fair treatment.

"We will continue to go on to the end, until we get a fair raise," Hajiyeva said.

The Westin has offered September 24 as the next bargaining date, but workers are pushing for an earlier resolution. There is currently no scheduled session for the Hilton Airport hotels in Sea-Tac, leaving the future of negotiations uncertain.

This Labor Day strike is part of a larger, nationwide movement, with hotel workers in cities like Boston, San Francisco, San Jose, and Greenwich, Connecticut, also walking off the job. Strikes have been authorized in several other cities, including Baltimore, Honolulu, Oakland, and San Diego, as workers across the country demand higher wages, fair staffing, and the reversal of pandemic-era cuts.

"Hotel workers are fighting for their economic lives," Seth said. "The hotel industry is making massive profits, but wages just aren’t enough to support our families. Staffing cuts made during the pandemic have made hotel jobs more painful than ever and is going to lead to hotels becoming the next airline industry – where guests pay more and get less while workers are left behind."