Local leaders and politicians showed their support for hundreds of workers at four local hotels in Boston who went on strike after their contracts expired at the end of August. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 26, started their strike at Fairmont Copley, Hilton Boston Park Plaza, Hilton Boston Logan, and Hampton Inn/Homewood Suites Seaport on Sunday morning at 5 a.m. The strike affected the venue of the city’s annual Labor Day breakfast, forcing organizers to move the event outside of the Hilton Boston Park Plaza.
NBC10 Boston reported that 900 workers went on strike after months of unsuccessful negotiations since April. The strike was authorized by workers from 35 hotels represented by the union, but only employees from four hotels followed through. The strike is set to end at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, after which workers will return to work without a contract as they continue to demand better wages and fair workloads.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Representative Ayanna Pressley, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, and other politicians appeared at the Labor Day breakfast to show their support for the striking workers. Pressley, who worked at a Marriott hotel for six years, addressed the workers, emphasizing the need for fair compensation in the industry.
Hilton and Fairmont did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The strike highlighted the ongoing struggle for workers in the hospitality industry, where executives’ compensation continues to rise while wages for employees remain low. The strike also drew attention to the need for reform in various industries to ensure fair compensation for all workers.
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Photo credit www.boston.com
