Chicago’s last major hotel strike took place in 2018. Photo Credit: Marchello74 for Adobe Stock
More than 7,000 Unite Here Local 1 members walked off the job Friday morning after contract negotiations failed to produce a new agreement, setting off what the union says could become the largest hotel strike in Chicago history.
Contracts covering the workers expired in August, and employees at properties operated by Marriott International, Hyatt and Hilton, among others, are seeking higher wages to keep pace with rising costs, as well as improved healthcare and pension benefits, stronger civil-rights protections and safer workloads.
Workers cite mounting financial pressures
The demands come as many hospitality workers say they are struggling financially despite putting in long hours. According to a recent Unite Here Local 1 survey, nearly one-third of respondents said their pay was not sufficient to cover rent or mortgage payments at some point during the past year, while nearly 30 percent reported not having enough money to pay utility bills.
“Tourism in Chicago is booming, all while inflation is increasing, and it’s affecting our hotel workers across the industry,” said Karen Kent, president of Unite Here Local 1, in a statement. “They feel the weight anytime they go to the supermarket to buy food, or when they come home from work and are too tired to spend time with their families. Workers are ready to strike because they work too hard to live like this.”
Kent said hotel workers are not sharing equally in the city's tourism recovery, noting that Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton collectively returned $22.3 billion to shareholders over the past three years while many workers continue to struggle with housing and everyday expenses.
The strike began just ahead of Chicago Marathon weekend, one of the city's busiest tourism periods. According to Unite Here Local 1, more than 7,000 room attendants, cooks, dishwashers, front-desk agents, servers and food-service workers at more than 40 downtown and McCormick Place-area hotels are involved in the dispute.
“Chicago’s hotel industry supports tens of thousands of jobs, welcomes millions of visitors each year, serves as an important economic driver for the city and state, and generates tax revenue that saves each Chicago household thousands of dollars,” said Michael Jacobson, president and CEO of the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, in a statement. “We are hopeful hotel operators and union representatives can reach a fair and mutually acceptable resolution that recognizes the important contributions of hotel employees, while acknowledging the significant financial and operational pressures facing Chicago hotels. In the meantime, the impacted hotels have robust contingency plans in place, and remain open for business and ready to welcome guests with open arms.”
Chicago’s last big strike
Chicago's last major hotel strike took place in 2018, when workers at 26 hotels walked off the job simultaneously. The strike ultimately resulted in workers securing year-round health coverage for themselves and their families, but the disruption was significant. Hotel guests reported dirty rooms and long check-in lines, while locals contended with noise from around-the-clock picket lines. Agreements were reached within a month.
What meeting planners should know
Meeting planners with programs booked at affected properties should closely monitor developments and maintain communication with hotel representatives regarding staffing levels and potential service impacts. Unite Here Local 1 has warned that meetings and events could be disrupted during the work stoppage, and the union says some groups have already chosen to cancel or reschedule events at impacted hotels.
A list of affected properties, along with their contract-expiration dates, can be found on the union’s Chicago Travel Alert website.