SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Hundreds of union workers at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel will vote on the ability to authorize a strike on Friday.
The window of time to vote will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the vote comes as union leaders said the current contract is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31.
Unite Here Local 30 union members include concierge, greeters, housekeepers, front desk agents, cooks, stewards, dishwashers, servers, bussers, bartenders, bellmen, and more.
Brigette Browning, the president of the union representing more than 700 members working at the Hilton Bayfront, said they expect the vote to pass on Friday, so workers are prepared to strike if negotiations fail.
"We had a successful strike in 2021, so the workers know it worked, and so they feel emboldened by that," Browning said. "I think workers know they're not alone. There's a lot of political support, there's community support, and when we run good campaigns, we win."
Browning said the last time the union went on strike was in 2021, during Comic-Con, and it yielded the two-year deal that is set to expire next week.
Browning said the vast majority of union members make around $24 per hour, so the union hopes to negotiate a $12-$15 pay increase by the end of the next contract, plus better retirement and healthcare plans.
Browning also said a big challenge the union members are facing is their commute. A significant number of members live in Tijuana and cross the border every day to work, sacrificing time with their families.
"The exceptional service that guests get is because of our members, and they deserve to be able to live while providing that service and providing a huge economic engine for our region," Browning said.
Browning also said the hotel still needs to give the union a proposal.
ABC 10News reached out to the Hilton Bayfront for comments and is still waiting to hear back.
